Anna Ferrato rolls up paper coming from a printer in the lab at Kiian U.S.A., located in the Soddy-Daisy Industrial Park. The company will produce high-quality, water-based specialty inks.A worldwide digital ink manufacturer opens a new production facility in Soddy-Daisy today.
The 15,000-square-foot site in Soddy-Daisy’s industrial park is Kiian Group’s first factory in North America. The company is based in Italy and manufactures ink at facilities throughout the world.
The Soddy-Daisy location eventually will employ about 20 people, said Alessandro Ratti, general manager. The site makes water-based digital inks that can be printed onto paper and then used to dye fabrics, usually polyester.
The fabric and printed paper are pressed together and heated to several hundred degrees for anywhere from 30 seconds to three minutes. When the process is complete, the ink “melts” into the fabric and dyes it.
Kiian-made inks are used to dye athletic jerseys, flags, T-shirts, banners, upholstery — all sorts of goods. The company plans to use the Soddy-Daisy location to serve North, Central and South America, with a focus on expanding its market in the United States.