123 Main Street, New York, NY 10001

Food Compliance

High-Speed Performance through Regulatory Intelligence

The Challenge

Printing on food-contact materials like napkins requires strict adherence to the Swiss Ordinance (SR 817.023.21) and the German BfR guidelines. However, many “off-the-shelf” food-safe inks are technically limited; they often fail in single-pass systems because they lack the sophisticated additives needed for high printing speeds and long opening times (decap time).

The common misconception is that if a chemical is not currently on the “White List” (Annex X), it is permanently banned. This leads many formulators to stick to “old” chemistry that clogs printheads and slows down production.

Our Solution

We bridge the gap between regulatory safety and industrial throughput by leveraging our deep relationships with global raw material producers:

  • Dynamic Regulatory Monitoring: We understand that Annex X is a snapshot of currently evaluated chemicals, not a final list of all safe substances. The list is constantly expanding as raw material manufacturers—who have a vested interest in the food-packaging market—invest in the costly process of testing and listing new, high-performance molecules.
  • Strategic Sourcing: Instead of settling for outdated “safe” chemicals, we actively source the latest components that have been recently added to the Annex X white list. This allows us to incorporate modern surfactants and humectants that were previously unavailable for food-compliant inks.
  • Optimized for Single-Pass: By using the newest listed substances, we can formulate inks that meet the rigorous “low-migration” requirements without sacrificing the fluid dynamics needed for high-speed industrial lines.
  • Extended Opening Time: Our selection of newly-validated humectants ensures that printheads stay “open” longer during line pauses, drastically reducing maintenance downtime and startup waste.

 

The Result

We provide our clients with an ink that is legally “future-proof” and industrially competitive.

  • Maximum Throughput: High-speed performance that matches standard industrial inks while remaining fully compliant.
  • Regulatory Peace of Mind: We provide the Declaration of Compliance (DoC) based on the most up-to-date Annex X entries.

 

Zero Compromise

Our clients no longer have to choose between a “safe” ink that is slow and a “fast” ink that is non-compliant.

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By WetDot

Liane Altenscheidt

Operations and Compliance Manager
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Liane Altenscheidt is responsible for operations, administration, and compliance at WetDot. She ensures that internal processes, financial administration, and regulatory requirements are managed efficiently, supporting smooth project execution.

She coordinates day-to-day operations, financial workflows, and internal processes, enabling the technical team to focus on development and innovation. A key part of her role is managing compliance-related topics and supporting customers with regulatory documentation.

Liane specializes in the coordination and preparation of Safety Data Sheets (SDS), ensuring that all documentation is structured, complete, and aligned with relevant regulations. Her structured approach and attention to detail provide the operational backbone of WetDot.

Dr. Chris Nicholas

Industrial Inkjet Consultant
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Chris Nicholas is an industrial inkjet specialist with over 30 years of experience in polymer chemistry, imaging technologies, and inkjet ink development. His career spans from early work in polymer systems and energy materials to leading roles in industrial inkjet R&D and consultancy.

He began his career in research roles at the University of Salford and the University of Manchester, followed by work with Kodak and Xennia, where he led R&D and EU-funded industrial inkjet projects across textiles, photovoltaics, and functional materials.

Chris later served as Lab Manager and Principal Scientist at Tonejet, before moving into consulting roles with ARMOR Industrial Inks and founding Smart Chemistry Ltd. Today, he supports industrial partners in the development, manufacturing, and application of advanced inkjet inks and dispersions.

His expertise combines deep polymer chemistry knowledge with extensive experience in industrial inkjet systems, enabling the development of robust, application-focused solutions.

Dr. Giovanni Manca

R&D Director and Co-Founder
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Giovanni Manca brings over 30 years of experience in imaging technology, spanning from analog photography to advanced industrial inkjet systems. His career is defined by deep chemical expertise, technical leadership, and a strong focus on innovation.

He began his career in the 1990s in the R&D division of 3M (later Ferrania), developing high-performance photographic emulsions for X-ray films. He later joined Armor (now Altkin), where he built and led the development of the company’s desktop inkjet ink portfolio, improving color gamut and light fastness.

In 2015, Giovanni led Armor’s entry into industrial inkjet, establishing and managing a dedicated R&D team focused on high-performance inks for a wide range of substrates. Today, he combines technical excellence with a strong commitment to regulatory compliance and industrial standards, ensuring reliable and market-ready solutions.

Carsten Rühling

Managing Director & Co-Founder
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Carsten is a chemist specializing in water-based inkjet inks with over 10 years of experience in industrial R&D. As Managing Director and Co-Founder of WetDot, he focuses on translating complex inkjet challenges into practical, production-ready solutions.

Before founding WetDot, he led ink development projects and managed R&D teams at Altkin/Armor, working across a wide range of water-based inkjet technologies and applications. His expertise combines deep formulation knowledge with a strong understanding of printhead behavior and industrial production requirements.

Carsten’s work is driven by the development of robust ink systems and the ability to turn complex technical problems into reliable, real-world solutions.