Printer Space Blog Authors

Omar has worked in the printing and ink industry for 28 years, and has extensive experience in art direction, file preparation, digital production and planning, and technical repair and resolution. In his current position as a Technical Service Representative for the Americas region, Omar is responsible for all incoming technical support requests, including providing support for the digital and metal divisions of INX. Omar was instrumental in refining INX’ remote color conversion program to support our customers during the pandemic. He graduated from Miami Dade College with an Associates Degree in Commercial Art.

Shane Bertsch is the Vice President of Strategic Planning & Innovation at INX International, where he leads all aspects of the strategic planning process and identifies key growth opportunities for investment. This includes managing incubator and startup relationships, the portfolio of technology investments and Brand Owner relationships for INX International. Shane has worked with big Brands such as McDonald’s, Panera, Abbott, Abbvie, and Unilever, and prior to joining INX International was Vice President of Global Innovation for HAVI where he launched HAVI’s Recycling and Waste Solutions business, led business process, sustainability and product stewardship, among other various functions within the field. While operating as HAVI’s Vice President of Global Innovation, he worked with INX to develop INXhrc™ natural-based water, solvent and conventional inks for clean and sustainable packaging that were introduced to the market last January.

Harvey Buck has been with INX International for 32 years. Working in Technical Service, he has worked in hundreds of offset, digital, metal, and flexographic pressrooms around the world. Primarily a troubleshooter, he loves the challenge of solving print-related problems. Harvey is a G7 expert and a Color Management Professional.

With an impressive 38 years of management experience, David Corona has been an invaluable asset to the INX team. He began his journey as a Production Manager in Houston and quickly ascended to roles such as Lab Manager and General Manager, where he successfully oversaw operations across multiple locations. In 2011, David was appointed as Director of Field and Inplant Operations, where his strategic leadership played a pivotal role in ensuring efficiency and excellence throughout the company. Today, David's seasoned management skills remain at the forefront, driving INX towards continued innovation and success.

Davant joined INX International in 2005 as INX International Coating Sales Director. Davant also manages INX Internationals North American Ink and Coating Distribution Network. His sales leadership and overall experience has transformed INX into an industry coating leader. INX Coatings was elevated to Division Status in 2023; one of only four divisions within INX International. Davant earned his B.S. and M.S. from Purdue University in Physical and Polymer Chemistry. He has 40 years of experience in coating sales, technical/field support service, laboratory formulation, and manufacturing.

Ron has almost 30 years of experience in the ink and coating industry. He has held a variety of positions throughout his career, from a lab-technician to working in manufacturing, in-plant operations, and sales. Ron currently serves as Senior Vice President of Sales for INX International, he is also a member of INX International’s Board of Directors. Ron is recognized for his collaborative leadership style and strong teamwork. He is a member of and has served as the past vice president and president of the Canadian Printing Ink Manufacturers Association. Ron is also a member of The Flexographic Trade Association and the Gravure Association of America. He has been published in Ink World Magazine and Labels and Labeling. Ron graduated from Sir Sandford Flemming College and is currently completing his MBA from the Australian Institute of Business.

Ron Ellis is a consultant specializing in brand quality, color management, automation and workflow integration. Former Chair of the GRACoL Committee, and an Idealliance G7 Expert, G7 Process Control Expert, G7 Expert Trainer. He has performed thousands of G7 training and calibrations and has conducted training and consulting for a wide range of customers in Europe, Asia, and North America, Well versed in ISO standards, he is certified as a PSA consultant as well as an FTA Flexo Level 2 Implementation Specialist and was the primary developer of IDEAlliance’s G7 Process Control as well as BrandQ programs. Ron specializes in creating and implementing working spaces for brands and suppliers that allow them to work more efficiently saving both time and money. www.ronellisconsulting.com

Alex currently serves as the Director of our Metal Decorating Technology team. He works across several functional areas of our business and with our customers and suppliers to oversee maintenance and new product development for flat sheet and two-piece metal decorating inks. Alex has over 20 years in the industry and started his career at INX working as a research chemist. He moved into our Metal Decorating Research & Development group in 1998 and was involved in developing the metal two-piece dense black ink that is still used on cans today. Alex is a frequent speaker at industry events, including: IMDPA, LatamCan, CMI, and AEROBOL. Alex graduated from the University of Illinois, Chicago in 1997, with a B.S. in Chemistry.

Alex has been with INX for over 18 years. He currently serves as Director of Business Development for Latin America, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Alex is a dedicated sales professional who works closely with INX customers to provide high-performance printing inks and coatings for commercial, packaging, and digital print applications. Alex graduated with a B.A. in Business Administration and Management from the University of Colorado in Denver. He began his sales career in the financial industry before spending the last 22 years in the print industry.

James Graham is a seasoned ink technician with 26 years of experience, including 14 years with INX International. He takes pride in managing a remote team of over 75 inplants and technical service reps across the United States, showcasing his exceptional management skills. James has held various roles within INX and other ink companies, including technical service rep and inplant manager, demonstrating his diverse expertise in the industry. His commitment to establishing high standards, consistency, and mentorship exemplifies his dedication to driving success in the ink manufacturing sector.

Jonathan joined INX in 1992 as a Research Chemist and currently leads UV/EB Technology for the company. He has contributed to the transformation of UV/EB technology at INX, positioning the company as an industry leader in the field. Jonathan is a board member of Radtech, an active member of the EUPIA Printing Inks for the Food Packaging Group, and the Energy Curing Working Group of EUPIA. He has been awarded the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM) Award for Technical Achievement and has been recognized with the NAPIM Printing Ink Pioneer Award. Jonathan regularly contributes to industry articles and has been a speaker at conferences held by NAPIM, Radtech, Print UV, Label Expo, RMGT Users Group, Graph Expo, and WPA. Jonathan graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Mike has been with INX International for over ten years. He currently serves as a Senior Director of Technical Services in our Liquid Division, where he oversees personnel planning, hiring, training, troubleshooting, and auditing pressroom facilities. He has been in the industry for over 30 years, and he is often a speaker at industry events, including the Western Plastics Association (WPA) and the Flexographic Technical Association (FTA). Mike enjoys mentoring and training others; and, he is recognized for his dedication to continuous improvement.

Todd has worked in the printing ink industry for 37 years. In his current position, Todd is responsible for technical services and in-plant operations as well as sales for the Offset Division. Establishing state-of-the-art ink rooms has been Todd’s passion for many years. He is very proud of his work leading the transformation of how INX designs ink rooms which has resulted in increased differentiation for both our customers and ourselves.

Kim is currently the Research & Development Director for Liquid Solvent Technology where she enjoys working directly with our customers and her colleagues to solve problems and develop new technologies.  She joined INX International in our Appleton, Wisconsin manufacturing plant in 2004.  Kim has worked with all facets of our liquid ink division including raw material procurement, manufacturing, ink development, and sales in the US and with many of our foreign subsidiaries and partners.  Kim has also helped in the process of transitioning technology from our parent company Sakata INX.  Kim received her B.S. in Chemistry from St. Norbert College and her M.S. in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota.

Sarah was instrumental in the creation of, and currently manages INX International’s color management group, INX Color Perfection®. Sarah has been at INX for over six years where she has worked in Special Projects within the digital and metal divisions prior to her current role. She is an active member of IMDPA and has served as a board member since 2019, and chairs several committees within the association. Sarah is a graduate of Clemson University where she earned her B.S. in Packaging Science with minors in Food Science and Business.

Josh has been a research chemist with INX International Ink Co. for over 10 years. As a senior member of the Energy Curable Offset group, he has presided over the development of many ink systems. His efforts in LED curables, low migration products, cold-foil adhesives, and the New CardPro line of plastic card inks has helped INX remain an industry leader. He earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago. 

Joe has been with INX for over 30 years. Early on he recognized the benefits and efficiencies that ink dispensing would provide for our customers and was influential and active in implementing our local dispensing program. Joe has been active in industry associations and was recognized with the NAPIM “Pioneer” award in 2016. He has also been a speaker at Tappi, the Flexographic Technical Association (FTA), and the Envelop Manufacturers Association (EMA). Joe graduated with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Eli has been with INX International for close to 15 years. He recently moved from his position as a research chemist in our Energy Curable Group to his current role as the Technical Lab Manager of our facility in West Chicago, where he is responsible for quality control and technical support services. Eli was a lead contributor to the development of our UV Cold Foil Adhesive products. Together with INXCure™ (UV Offset) and INXFlex (UV Flexo), our UV lines have provided our customers with increased variety and flexibility with their printed products. Eli received his B.S. in Chemistry from Hope College.

Rebecca is currently the Director of Global Regulatory Affairs where she leads the regulatory affairs team in all aspects of legislation and regulations. She has been with INX International for 10 years and has served in a variety of roles within the INX Environmental Health and Safety Department. Rebecca enjoys the challenges and opportunities for problem solving that come from ongoing regulatory changes and updates. Prior to joining INX, Rebecca worked in the cosmetics and private label food industries. She is a frequent speaker at industry events and is a member of EuPIA, FSAP, and NAPIM. Rebecca graduated from Northern Illinois University with a B.S. in Biology.

Javier currently serves as a Technical Service Manager at INX where he collaborates across the business to develop education and training programs for our technical service team, sales groups, and our customers. Javier has been in the industry over 30 years and has earned industry recognition and certification as an IDEAlliance Color Management Professional and Master Trainer, G7 Expert, and G7 PCC Expert.

Renee began working at INX in 2001 and has led the marketing communication efforts at INX International for 17 market segments across four product divisions. During her tenure at INX, Renee has created strong brand awareness and market presence by coordinating the development of the company’s marketing, advertising, and public relations programs – including creative collateral and digital content. In addition to her leadership role at INX, Renee is also involved in several industry organizations, and most recently she was President of the International Metal Decorating and Packaging Association (IMDPA).

Welcome to our blog, Printer Space. Printing. Ink. Advice. Powered by the team at INX International, this blog features thought leadership, best practices, and insights created by our Research & Development Team, Color Specialists, Technical, Print, and Ink Experts. Some blogs are authored by one or two subject matter experts; others receive input from a team of specialists on the topic. We trust you will find their expertise and perspectives informative, interesting, and valuable.

Christa Watson is the Head of Marketing for Oden Technologies. Oden Technologies is the leading provider of AI-driven solutions for manufacturers, transforming billions of complex data points into action for the front-line in real-time. Process AI, Oden’s premier software offering, turns inexperienced operators into high performers in one click. With real-time process recommendations and predicted outcomes served directly to operators, Process AI ensures front-line workers have the exact information they need — when they need it— to achieve peak production. Learn more at Oden.io. Before Oden, Christa was in go-to-market leadership positions at fast growth startups in government technology, financial technology, and software development spaces.

Marco Zanella is the Global Business Development Director – Inkjet, for INX Europe. Based in Italy, he has over 20 years of experience in the printing industry. Mr. Zanella has worked at INX the last nine years where he manages industrial applications and OEMs and attends industry tradeshows on a frequent basis.