Oil-Based Printing Ink Market Size, Share, Industry Trends, Segmentation and Forecast, 2026–2035

Global Oil-based Printing Ink Market is segmented By Type (Vegetable Oil-based Printing Inks, Mineral Oil-based Printing Inks) By Printing Technique (Lithography, Photolithography, Offset Printing) By Application (Corrugated Cardboards, Flexible Packaging, Tags & Labels, Folding Cartons, Others) By End-User (Packaging, Print Media, Commercial Printing, Others) and By Region (North America, Europe, South America, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa) – Share, Size, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2026-2035

Last Updated: || Author: Sai Teja Thota || Reviewed: Akshay Reddy || SKU: MA7917

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Report Summary
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List of Tables & Figures

Market Size 2035

USD 19.12 billion

CAGR (2026-2035)

4.2% Share

Dominating Region

APAC 39.0% Share

by Printing technique

Offset printing 62%

Oil-Based Printing Ink Market Size & Forecast 2035

The global oil-based printing ink market was valued at USD 12.67 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 19.12 billion by 2035, expanding at a CAGR of 4.2% during 2026–2035. Oil-based printing inks are pigment-and-binder systems in which mineral oils, vegetable oils or blends provide the principal liquid carrier and support transfer, setting and film formation. They are used chiefly in sheetfed and web offset work, including folding cartons, commercial print, publications, labels and selected corrugated or flexible-packaging applications. The market definition includes conventional oxidative-drying, penetration-setting and heatset oil-carrier inks. Water-based inks, energy-curable UV and electron-beam inks, inkjet fluids and non-oil solvent systems are excluded from the stated value.

Growth rests increasingly on packaging rather than publication printing. Folding cartons and paperboard packages require sharp graphics, dependable color and economical high-volume production, all of which support conventional offset ink demand. At the same time, formulators are replacing part or all of the mineral-oil fraction with vegetable-derived components, improving bio-renewable content and developing mineral-oil-free systems for sensitive packaging. The result is not a simple volume story: product mix, regulatory suitability, press productivity and the value of technical service materially influence revenue.

Digital printing, UV curing and water-based technologies limit expansion in short-run, variable-data and some packaging jobs. Conventional oil-based ink retains a strong position where long runs, installed offset capacity, fine tonal control and low unit cost matter. Suppliers that reduce misting, make-ready waste, dampening demand and drying constraints can defend this installed base while helping printers lower total production cost.

Oil-Based Printing Ink Market Key Highlights

  • The market rises from USD 12.67 billion in 2025 to USD 19.12 billion in 2035 at a 4.2% CAGR.
  • Mineral oil-based formulations held 57% of 2025 revenue, but vegetable-oil products are gaining faster in packaging and mineral-oil-free conversions.
  • Offset printing represented 62% of 2025 sales because it remains central to folding cartons, commercial work and publication production.
  • Packaging generated 55% of demand, offsetting structural pressure in newspapers, magazines and other print-media uses.
  • Asia-Pacific led with 39% of 2025 revenue, supported by China, India, Japan and a broad regional converting base.
  • Product development is shifting toward bio-based carbon, low migration, faster setting, lower misting and a wider water window.
  • Recent supplier activity centers on conventional-offset reformulation, mineral-oil-free capacity and direct-food-contact paperboard printing.

Market Dynamics

Packaging print sustains the installed offset base

Folding cartons, sleeves, labels and decorated corrugated formats use print to carry brand identity, regulatory text and product information. Their demand is less exposed to the electronic substitution affecting newspapers and catalogues. Sheetfed offset remains well suited to premium paperboard graphics and medium-to-long production runs, while web offset serves high-volume work. As paper and paperboard gain attention as alternatives to some plastic formats, compatible conventional inks can capture incremental packaging demand.

Vegetable-oil and mineral-oil-free systems reshape the product mix

Mineral oils offer established rheology, reliable setting and competitive cost, but migration concerns and recycling objectives are changing specifications, particularly for food-contact and recovered-paper applications. Soy, linseed and other vegetable-derived oils can raise renewable content and support mineral-oil-free claims. Reformulation is technically demanding: the ink must still balance tack, drying, rub resistance, dot gain, odor and press stability. Suppliers able to combine renewable content with fast production are positioned to win higher-value carton and commercial accounts.

Press efficiency becomes a purchasing criterion

Ink cost represents only one part of a printer’s economics. Excess make-ready sheets, unstable ink-water balance, misting at speed, slow work-and-turn performance and color drift create larger operating losses. New resin and vehicle systems therefore compete on lower dampening, rapid setting, stable density and reduced waste. This shifts purchasing conversations from price per kilogram toward cost per saleable sheet.

Publication decline and digital substitution restrain volume

Electronic media continue to reduce newspaper, magazine and directory circulation. Digital presses also win short runs, versioned packaging and jobs requiring variable data. UV and LED-UV offset can provide instant curing, while water-based systems are important in corrugated and flexible packaging. These alternatives narrow the addressable pool for conventional oil-based inks. Growth consequently depends on packaging conversion, emerging-market print volumes and higher-value formulations rather than a broad recovery in all graphic arts.

Raw-material and compliance complexity pressure margins

Pigments, resins, mineral distillates, drying oils and additives are exposed to energy, agricultural and logistics volatility. Vegetable oils can move with crop yields and food-market demand; mineral-oil inputs track refining economics. Food-packaging products also require careful raw-material selection, migration assessment and controlled manufacturing. Producers with backward integration in resins or pigments, multi-region sourcing and strong regulatory laboratories have an advantage in protecting supply and maintaining consistent batches.

Oil-Based Printing Ink Market Scope

AttributeDetail
Base year2025
Historical period2023–2024
Forecast period2026–2035
2025 market valueUSD 12.67 billion
2026 market valueUSD 13.20 billion
2035 forecastUSD 19.12 billion
Forecast CAGR4.20%
Type coverageMineral oil-based; vegetable oil-based
Printing technique coverageOffset printing; lithography; photolithography and specialized processes
Application coverageFolding cartons; corrugated cardboard; tags and labels; flexible packaging; other uses
End-user coveragePackaging; commercial printing; print media; other users
Geographic coverageNorth America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa

Market Segmentation

By Type

Mineral oil-based inks accounted for 57% of 2025 revenue, equal to USD 7.22 billion. Their lead reflects an extensive installed base in heatset and coldset web offset, established press behavior and cost efficiency in high-volume commercial and publication work. Demand remains meaningful in applications without sensitive-packaging constraints. The segment will grow more slowly as large converters and brand owners tighten mineral-oil specifications.

Vegetable oil-based inks represented 43%, or USD 5.45 billion, in 2025. The category includes systems based on soy, linseed and other renewable oils as well as hybrid vehicles in which vegetable-derived content is central to performance. Adoption is strongest in sheetfed commercial work and paperboard packaging, where low odor, renewable content and mineral-oil-free positioning influence specifications. Better setting and press-speed performance are reducing the productivity gap that once restricted broader use.

By Printing Technique

Offset printing generated 62% of market revenue, or USD 7.86 billion, in 2025. The technique dominates because oil-based paste inks are closely matched to the ink-water balance, tack and transfer demands of sheetfed and web offset presses. Folding cartons, books, brochures, magazines and commercial collateral form its main revenue pool.

Other lithographic applications contributed 27%, equivalent to USD 3.42 billion. This portion covers lithographic operations reported separately from mainstream offset, including specialized plate and substrate workflows. Its demand is supported by established equipment but faces the same substitution pressure from digital and energy-curable alternatives.

Photolithography and specialized printing made up the remaining 11%, or USD 1.39 billion. These applications are narrower and may use tailored oil-containing compositions rather than standard graphic ink. Revenue is concentrated in specialist suppliers and technical work where substrate adhesion, fine definition or process compatibility outweighs commodity pricing.

By Application

Folding cartons were the largest application at 30% of 2025 sales, equal to USD 3.80 billion. Carton converters value offset’s image quality, spot-color control and suitability for coated paperboard. Food, personal-care, pharmaceutical and premium consumer-goods cartons are raising demand for low-odor, low-migration and mineral-oil-free products.

Corrugated cardboard held 24%, or USD 3.04 billion. Oil-based inks participate mainly through preprint, litho-laminated graphics and specialized decoration rather than the water-based flexographic work common on transport boxes. Growth comes from retail-ready and e-commerce packaging that requires stronger shelf and unboxing presentation.

Tags and labels represented 18%, equivalent to USD 2.28 billion. Conventional offset remains relevant in wet-glue labels, paper labels, tags and combination printing. Short-run digital and UV technologies restrict its share, but established offset capacity supports economical repeat work with demanding color standards.

Flexible packaging contributed 16%, or USD 2.03 billion. This figure covers selected paper-based flexible formats and specialized oil-carrier processes; it does not include the broader solvent, water-based or energy-curable ink markets. The segment benefits from paperization but requires careful control of drying, migration and converting compatibility.

Other applications accounted for 12%, equal to USD 1.52 billion, spanning books, catalogues, forms, direct mail, metal decoration and specialist printed products. The mix is diverse, with stable niche work partly balancing declines in mass communication print.

By End User

Packaging businesses purchased 55% of 2025 output, worth USD 6.97 billion. This lead reflects folding-carton demand, branded paperboard, labels and selected corrugated or flexible formats. Packaging also commands a richer product mix because compliance, migration, rub resistance and brand-color consistency justify technical premiums.

Commercial printers generated 23%, or USD 2.91 billion. Brochures, books, promotional pieces, direct mail and general job printing sustain demand, especially for repeat and medium-to-long runs. Consolidation and digital substitution constrain volume, encouraging ink suppliers to compete through service and pressroom efficiency.

Print media represented 16%, equivalent to USD 2.03 billion. Newspapers, magazines and periodicals remain large consumers by physical volume but face continuing circulation pressure. Coldset and heatset web-offset products must therefore deliver cost control and supply reliability in a contracting end market.

Other users held 6%, or USD 0.76 billion, including specialist industrial printers, educational publishers and security or functional-print operations that use conventional oil-carrier technology.

Regional and Country-Level Analysis

Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific led the market with 39% of global revenue in 2025, equal to USD 4.94 billion. The region combines large packaging-conversion industries, strong consumer-goods production, growing organized retail and substantial publication and commercial-print capacity. China represented 17% of global revenue, or USD 2.15 billion, supported by its scale in packaging, exports and printing equipment. India contributed 7%, or USD 0.89 billion, with carton, label, book and commercial-print demand expanding alongside consumer markets. Japan held 5%, equal to USD 0.63 billion, emphasizing high-quality, technically controlled inks. South Korea represented 3%, or USD 0.38 billion. Southeast Asia and the rest of the region supplied the remaining 7%, or USD 0.89 billion, with Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and other manufacturing centers adding packaging demand.

Europe

Europe accounted for 25% of 2025 revenue, or USD 3.17 billion. Mineral-oil migration, packaging recyclability and chemical compliance strongly influence formulation choices, accelerating mineral-oil-free and vegetable-oil adoption. Germany represented 6% of global sales, equal to USD 0.76 billion, reflecting its printing, engineering and packaged-goods base. The United Kingdom held 4%, or USD 0.51 billion, and France also held 4%, or USD 0.51 billion. Italy contributed 3%, equal to USD 0.38 billion, supported by folding-carton and premium-packaging activity. Other European markets collectively represented 8%, or USD 1.01 billion. Publication contraction limits tonnage, while regulation-compliant carton inks and productivity upgrades support value.

North America

North America generated 23% of global revenue, equal to USD 2.91 billion, in 2025. The United States alone represented 19%, or USD 2.41 billion, owing to its large folding-carton, commercial-print, publishing and direct-mail sectors. Canada contributed 3%, or USD 0.38 billion, while Mexico held 1%, equal to USD 0.13 billion. Regional demand favors consistent press performance, fast turnaround and technical support. Mineral-oil-free web-offset products and bio-renewable sheetfed systems offer growth, while digital presses capture short, personalized work.

Latin America

Latin America held 7% of 2025 revenue, or USD 0.89 billion. Brazil represented 3% of the global market, equal to USD 0.38 billion, benefiting from a broad food, beverage and consumer-products packaging sector. The remaining Latin American countries contributed 4%, or USD 0.51 billion. Currency swings and imported raw-material costs affect pricing, but urban consumption and local packaged-goods production support carton and commercial-print demand.

Middle East and Africa

The Middle East and Africa accounted for 6% of 2025 revenue, equal to USD 0.76 billion. Gulf markets support premium packaging and commercial work, while South Africa, Egypt and selected East and West African markets add publishing and packaged-food demand. Local converting investment creates opportunity, though fragmented distribution, imported inputs and uneven press technology moderate growth.

Competitive Landscape

Competition combines multinational ink groups, regional formulators and local suppliers. Scale matters because customers require dependable pigments, resins and vehicles across multiple plants, yet local technical service remains decisive when press conditions change. Suppliers differentiate through mineral-oil-free chemistry, renewable content, food-packaging suitability, color management, low misting, fast setting and on-press troubleshooting.

Key participants include Sun Chemical Corporation, DIC Corporation, Flint Group, Siegwerk Druckfarben AG & Co. KGaA, hubergroup, Toyo Ink SC Holdings Co., Ltd. (artience Co., Ltd.), T&K Toka Co., Ltd., Sakata INX Corporation, Wikoff Color Corporation and Zeller+Gmelin GmbH & Co. KG. Not every product sold by these companies falls within the oil-based market; their water-based, UV, electron-beam, digital and solvent portfolios are excluded from the market value.

Sun Chemical Corporation

Sun Chemical, a member of the DIC Group, supplies inks, coatings, pigments and related graphic solutions worldwide. Its oil-based relevance is concentrated in conventional sheetfed offset and packaging systems. The SunPak family serves folding-carton and sensitive-packaging work, while Pace technology targets high-speed productivity, lower water settings and stable print performance. SunPak PowerPace uses a vegetable-oil formulation and is designed for presses operating above 21,000 impressions per hour, with stated water-setting reductions of 10–20%. The company also promotes EcoPace sheetfed inks with high bio-renewable content and no intentionally added PTFE wax. In September 2026, Sun Chemical launched SunPak DFC inPace for direct-food-contact folding cartons, combining offset print performance with high bio-based carbon content and packaging designs that can avoid plastic laminates or inserts. Sun Chemical’s technical breadth in color, coatings and migration management lets it sell a complete pressroom and packaging-compliance proposition rather than ink alone.

Flint Group

Flint Group participates through conventional web-offset inks, pressroom chemicals, blankets and service for heatset and coldset printers. Its portfolio supports magazines, catalogues, newspapers, inserts and other high-volume web applications, while mineral-oil-free options address changing environmental and customer specifications. The Premoking ink platform, Day blankets and Varn pressroom products allow Flint Group to connect ink behavior with wider press performance. In May 2026, the company reported a EUR 2 million upgrade to its Frankfurt operation. The hybrid site, operating since January 2026, includes an energy-efficient varnish plant and supports multiple heatset and coldset product streams. Together with the company’s Netherlands site, the investment creates a two-site supply network for Central and Eastern Europe. The project is directly relevant to conventional web-offset resilience and rising demand for mineral-oil-free inks.

Siegwerk Druckfarben AG & Co. KGaA

Siegwerk is a privately held global printing-ink and coating supplier with a major position in packaging. Its conventional offset offering includes the TEMPO range, covering sheetfed inks, coatings and process auxiliaries. TEMPO Nutripack 2 is a vegetable-based offset ink intended for food paper and board, while the wider platform includes mineral-oil-free choices for packaging converters. Siegwerk’s strengths include application laboratories, color services, migration expertise and local technical support. The company also supplies water-based, solvent-based and energy-curable technologies, but those products are outside this market definition. Its strategic relevance to oil-based ink lies in helping carton printers move from general commercial formulations toward packaging-specific systems that meet odor, migration, drying and finishing requirements.

hubergroup

hubergroup operates Print Solutions and Chemicals divisions, giving it internal capabilities in inks, resins, pigments and additives. Its conventional offset portfolio spans commercial and packaging ranges such as RESISTA, RAPIDA ECO, ECO-PERFECT-DRY, PACKAGING PLUS, MGA NATURA and MGA CORONA. MGA products are positioned for sensitive food-packaging applications, while commercial ranges emphasize setting, rub resistance and press stability. In May 2026, hubergroup introduced new resin technology across its global conventional-offset portfolio. Production trials recorded fewer make-ready sheets, reduced misting, a wider water window, lower dampening levels and stable density. The rollout during the first half of 2026 illustrates the company’s ability to tune resin chemistry to measurable pressroom outcomes. Its integration into resin and pigment production also supports formulation control and supply continuity.

Recent Developments

  • September 8, 2026 – Sun Chemical: The company launched SunPak DFC inPace, a sheetfed offset system for direct-food-contact folding cartons. The oil-relevant product uses Pace technology, carries high bio-based carbon content verified by carbon-14 testing and is designed to simplify recyclable structures by removing some plastic laminates and inserts.
  • May 25, 2026 – Flint Group: Flint Group disclosed a EUR 2 million investment in its Frankfurt web-offset site. The upgrade created a hybrid manufacturing platform for heatset and coldset product streams, added an energy-efficient varnish plant and strengthened European supply for conventional and mineral-oil-free inks.
  • May 20, 2026 – hubergroup: hubergroup began the global rollout of new resin technology across six established conventional-offset series. The reformulated products reduce misting and make-ready sheets while widening the ink-water operating window and lowering dampening requirements.
  • May 2026 – Sun Chemical/DIC: At interpack 2026, the group presented new paper-packaging systems including SunPak FMQ SafePace and SunPak DFC inPace. The showcase also highlighted digital, water-based, UV and electron-beam products; those adjacent technologies are not counted in this oil-based market and demonstrate the substitution choices available to converters.

Strategic Takeaways

  • Direct development spending toward mineral-oil-free, vegetable-oil and high-bio-renewable sheetfed systems.
  • Prove value through make-ready sheets, water settings, misting, drying time and saleable-sheet yield.
  • Prioritize folding-carton and paperboard accounts as publication volumes continue to contract.
  • Separate food-packaging grades from general commercial inks through controlled production and migration documentation.
  • Protect margins with diversified oil, resin and pigment sourcing and regional manufacturing coverage.
  • Pair conventional inks with coatings, color management and pressroom service to deepen customer retention.
  • Track digital, water-based and energy-curable substitution by run length, substrate and converting process.

 

 

 

 

 

Market Overview

Global Oil-based Printing Ink Market reached US$ 11.2 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach US$ 16.2 billion by 2031, growing with a CAGR of 4.2% during the forecast period 2024-2031.

The usage of oil-based printing ink is rapidly expanding towards more unconventional applications with increasing digitalization leading to falling demand from the print media industry. E-commerce, FMCG and commercial printing currently account for a large share of the demand for printing inks and is expected to continue upwards over the coming years. 

The slow pace of innovation coupled with the failure of the industry to shed its dependence on mineral oil-based printing inks is likely to create hurdles for future market growth. The industry is likely to be slow to respond to changing consumer trends, leading to a failure to capitalize on major upcoming growth opportunities.

Market Scope

MetricsDetails
CAGR4.2%
Size Available for Years2022-2031
Forecast Period2024-2031
Data AvailabilityValue (US$) 
Segments CoveredType, Printing Technique, Application, End-User and Region
Regions CoveredNorth America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America and Middle East & Africa
Fastest Growing RegionAsia-Pacific
Largest RegionAsia-Pacific
Report Insights CoveredCompetitive Landscape Analysis, Company Profile Analysis, Market Size, Share, Growth, Demand, Recent Developments, Mergers and Acquisitions, New Product Launches, Growth Strategies, Revenue Analysis, Porter’s Analysis, Pricing Analysis, Regulatory Analysis, Supply-Chain Analysis and Other key Insights.

 

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Market Dynamics

Increasing Demand for Packaged Fast Foods

Changing socio-economic trends over the past decade have led to an increase in demand for packaged fast food items, especially in emerging countries. Many social analysts point out the correlation between rising rates of urbanization and increasing consumption of packaged fast foods. Since urban populations tend to prefer packaged food due to their convenience and hectic lifestyles, fast food corporations focus on urban centers for new growth opportunities. 

Since emerging markets are currently undergoing a massive economic transformation, leading to rise in disposable incomes. As companies expand their operations, it creates a parallel rise in demand for branded packaging and merchandise. Since the expansion of fast food companies is a long-term phenomenon, it will create stable and long lasting demand for oil-based printing inks over the forecast period. 

Expansion of Global E-Commerce

Although the global e-commerce industry is witnessing rapid growth, it has been more pronounced in developing regions such as South America, Middle East and Africa and Asia-Pacific. A combination of several factors including increasing digitalization and rising rates of FDI in the e-commerce sector are responsible for the high growth rates. 

The investment bank Morgan Stanley has estimated in a report that e-commerce growth rates in parts of southeast Asia and Latin America could reach 17% to 20% over the next five years, nearly double of the global average. The report also stated that COVID-19 pandemic has given a big boost to e-commerce, with nearly 22% of all retail sales being conducted online as compared to 15% just before the pandemic. 

Oil-based printing ink is widely used within the e-commerce industry for printing shipping graphics, logos, labels, pallet tags and records. As the e-commerce industry undergoes rapid expansion, the overall global demand for oil-based printing inks is likely to increase during the forecast period.

Volatility in Raw Material Prices

One of the biggest hindrances for the growth of the global oil-based printing ink market is expected to be the growing volatility in the prices of various raw materials. Global crude oil prices breached US$ 100 per barrel for the first time since 2014 in wake of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Although prices eased somewhat as supply worries dispersed, they have consistently stayed above US$ 80 per barrel throughout 2022 and most of 2023. 

Crude oil-based derivatives are a key component in the manufacturing of mineral-oil based printing inks. High crude oil prices force manufacturers to hike prices in order to offset input costs. However, the fundamental structure of the global market magnifies the problems created by volatility in raw material prices. 

The global market is relatively fragmented with many manufacturers being small and medium enterprises. Surviving on razor-thin profit margins in an ultra-competitive market, these manufacturers must pass on cost increase to their end-users. A rise in packaging costs forces businesses to look for alternative packaging solutions or migrate to a different supplier in search of lower prices. 

Big ink manufacturers with large production capacities are able to better withstand the short and medium term price volatility. However, persistent volatility in raw material prices forces out smaller players and consolidates the market in favour of a few big players, thereby leading to increased prices for all end-users.

Segment Analysis

The global oil-based printing ink market is segmented based on type, printing technique, application, end-user and region.

Mineral oil-based inks are expected to garner the highest market share during the forecast period

Mineral oil-based inks continue to garner the highest market share in the global market. One of the key factors aiding their dominance is their cost effectiveness. Mineral oil-based printing inks are easily reproducable and are available in a wide variety of shades and colors. Furthermore, the inks dries quickly and has superior adhesion properties on plastic and metal surfaces.

The uptake of vegetable oil-based printing inks has been relatively slow over the past few years. Although growing environmental concerns have increased the popularity of eco-friendly inks derived from vegetable oils, supply chain constraints and high production costs limit their long-term growth potential. 

Geographical Penetration

E-Commerce Expansion will Propel Market Growth in Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific will have the highest share within the global oil-based printing ink market since the region offers unique, long-term growth opportunities that are not readily available in developed regions such as Europe and North America. Although high population countries such as China and India are the major growth engines in the region, smaller countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam have also begun accounting for a significant share of the regional growth in demand. 

Malaysia has witnessed a massive increase in e-commerce over the past decade due to a dynamic economic growth and widespread development of digital infrastructure. The Malaysian e-commerce industry grew by nearly 20% to clock in revenues of MYR 38.2 billion (US$ 9.2 billion) in 2022. As multinational companies partner with local e-commerce ventures for unlocking last-mile market access, the demand for oil-based printing ink will increase considerably over the long term. 

Although the Chinese e-commerce industry suffered a short-term economic slowdown due to stringent COVID-19 management policies, it has recovered well in the aftermath. The National singles day sales, a proxy for the health of the e-commerce industry, recorded nearly 1.14 trillion yuan ($156.40 billion) of sales across all major platforms in 2023, an increase of 2.08% over the previous year.

COVID-19 Impact Analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic created several challenges for the global oil-based printing ink market. The pandemic injected major uncertainty in the global market as supply chain disruptions led to shortage of various materials. Furthermore, demand declined significantly across various end-users, although some healthcare associated industries witnessed a minor increase in demand. 

The supply chain volatilities led several small and medium scale manufacturers to cut back on ink production, with companies even going bankrupt due to drying up of orders. Large-scale manufacturers fared relatively well, since they dipped into their reserve stocks. The crash in global crude oil prices at the beginning of the pandemic further allowed major players to stock up on precursor materials at relatively lower prices. 

Despite facing challenging prospects over the course of the pandemic, the overall growth trajectory of the global market has remained relatively unaltered in the post-pandemic period. The strong rebound in economic activities of emerging countries has provided a much needed boost to market growth. 

Russia-Ukraine War Impact Analysis

The Russia-Ukraine created major impacts on the global oil-based printing ink market mainly due to two factors. The upheveal in global crude oil prices due to the invasion and the sanctions imposed on Russia, led to a significant short term spike in prices of precursors used in the manufacture of mineral oil-based printing inks. 

Furthermore, given the fact that Ukraine is a major producer of sunflower and sunflower oil, the war-based disruption has led to increased prices, especially for companies manufacturing eco-friendly printing inks from sunflower oil, although sunflower oil only accounts for a small fraction of the global market.

Russia has been facing difficulties in able to import oil-based printing inks due to the economic sanctions since most Russian imports were from western European countries. Russia had to resort to the international grey market and route shipments through third countries in order to import inks. Some Russian end-users also utilized lower quality inks from China.

Key Developments

  • In October 2023, a joint report by French and German research institutes published a report on the current state of circular economy in the printing inks industry. The report detailed the fact phasing out mineral oil-based inks in favor of more eco-friendly alternatives offered many benefits for the global industry.
  • In August 2023, Flint Group, a major manufacturer of printing inks, announced that it was removing mineral oil from its portfolio of sheetfed process inks and is moving towards a more sustainable formulation.
  • In October 2023, Actega, a Brazilian developer of printing inks, announced the consolidation of its operations at a single facility in Araçariguama, Brazil.

Competitive Landscape

The major global players in the market include Dow, Sicpa Holding SA, Epple Druckfarben AG, Sakata Inx Corporation, Dainichiseika Color & Chemicals Mfg.Co., Ltd., Van Son Ink Corporation, Sun Chemical Corporation, Zeller+Gmelin, Fujifilm Sericol India and Tokyo Printing Ink Mfg. Co., Ltd.

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The global oil-based printing ink market report would provide approximately 60 tables, 61 figures and 201 Pages.

Target Audience 2024

  • Packaging Solutions Manufacturers
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FAQ’s

  • The market was valued at USD 12.67 billion in 2025 and is forecast to reach USD 19.12 billion by 2035.

  • The scope includes conventional inks that use mineral oil, vegetable oil or blends as the principal carrier, chiefly for sheetfed and web offset printing.

  • Water-based inks, UV and electron-beam-curable inks, inkjet fluids and non-oil solvent systems are excluded from the market value.

  • Mineral oil-based inks led with 57.0%, generating USD 7.22 billion.

  • Vegetable oil-based inks represented 43.0%, or USD 5.45 billion, in 2025.

  • Offset printing led with 62.0% of 2025 revenue, equal to USD 7.86 billion.

  • Folding cartons ranked first with a 30.0% share, worth USD 3.80 billion in 2025.

  • Packaging accounted for 55.0% of market revenue, or USD 6.97 billion, in 2025.

  • Asia-Pacific led with 39.0% of global revenue, equal to USD 4.94 billion in 2025.

  • Mineral-oil migration concerns, renewable-content targets, packaging recyclability and improved press performance are the principal adoption drivers.

  • Declining publication print and the shift of short-run work toward digital, UV and water-based technologies limit conventional oil-based ink volumes.
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Elena Morris
Packaging Strategy Director, United Kingdom
20 Jun, 2026
5/5
The report connects formulation shifts with pressroom economics and gives the regional numbers enough context to support a practical market-entry discussion.
Kenji Watanabe
Commercial Print Consultant, Japan
06 Sep, 2026
5/5
The split between conventional oil-based demand and adjacent curing technologies makes the forecast usable for portfolio planning without blurring the addressable market.
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DataM
Oil-Based Printing Ink Market Report
SKU: MA7917

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ADM
Africa Climate Ventures
Algalif
Amcor
Arysta
Asahi
BASF
Baycurrent
BAYER
BioCartis
BIORAD
BRAUN
Budenheim
Daikin
Deerland
DENSO
DUPONT
Epax
FrieslandCampina
FUJIFILM
Hitachi
HONDA
HUAWEI
Inorganic Ventures
ITOCHU
JFE Steel
KAMEDA
Kaneka
KERRY
Marubeni
Meiji
Mitsubishi
MITSUI & Co
Morinaga
NFIT
NIPRO
Pfizer
Plexus
Polaris
Probiotical
RKW
Kearney
Takeda
Sensia
SACCO system
SEKISUI
SKYTILLER
Sony
Sumitomo Chemical
Symrise
Tate & Lyle
Teijin
thyssenkrupp
TORAY
TOSHIBA
Unilever
Xerox
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