Kerley Ink is not unique in using product names, but we have completely rid our product line of items which identify themselves by formula number only. With the hundreds of formulas we offer, it became obvious that no one could associate any particular ink by a random formula number.

Because of this need to make a clear association of an ink formula with a name, we studied several ways in which we could devise a name system that would pinpoint the most important features of the product in a concise, clear manner. What we decided on was a system that divided the name of any Kerley product into four parts. Our four-part product name applies to all finished inks, but at least two parts of the four-part name format are used for naming ink components (raw materials we manufacture) as well. Click here to see a graphic.

A really good way to "help yourself" to the many products and services that Kerley offers is to learn how to use this four-part name system. It's very simple. And when you've become familiar with the way we name Kerley products, you'll be able to use this catalog more easily, and communicating with Kerley technical and customer service personnel will become much more convenient for you.

Almost all items manufactured by Kerley now carry a "product" designation as the first part of their name. The best way to describe this is to say that this part of the item's description carries the "family name". For example, many high gloss heatset inks we offer have the name "NOVA". However our low cost soy oil-based newsinks are called "SOYTAB". Another product line is "50-50", which is a family of special blacks we make for book manufacture. This part of the item's name is the most important, for this is where we determine the basic mission of the product.

The "tack range" portion of the product's description really applies only to the finished inks we manufacture. The tack range is not assigned by the reading on the inkometer. We found that the same ink can have many different readings depending upon who's inkometer it is read on. Rather, the tack range is a number we assign to the product between zero and nine, with zero being the absolute highest tack level in a product line, and nine being the lowest tack level in the product line. Thus, a "NOVA 1" will be a high tack ink on my inkometer as well as yours, regardless of the actual readings we individually obtain. "NOVA 6" will be toward the lower end of the product's available tack range.

Important Note: The tack readings shown in this catalog are for reference only. They are not absolute readings, as readings vary between inkometers. These readings merely show the relationship between the different tack ranges as they would relate to readings on a theoretical inkometer.

3) The SERIES.

The series is another way that we can narrow down the description of a Kerley product. The series portion of a product description acts as an "auxiliary name" that helps further define a product within its product line. For instance, "NOVA 2 D" describes a gloss heatset ink of high tack ("2") and dense ("D") color, whereas "NOVA 2 DXB" describes the same ink with the same tack, but with extra blue toner ("D-XB"). "SIGMA 2" is a heatset newsprint ink and "SIGMA 2 G" is a gelled version of the same ink. Many times, we'll use the series part of the product description to identify it as a special ink made for a particular customer. We have hundreds of inks like this in our formula line.

This part of the product description is almost self-explanatory. Almost all products except for some vehicles, compounds, and additives carry a product color in their name.