Running out of ink stops a coding line as surely as a failed printer. The ink that works is the one matched to your substrate, and the supply that works is the one ordered before the season starts.
This page is for people who already run a thermal inkjet printer and need to choose, reorder or plan its cartridges. A TIJ ink cartridge holds both the ink and the printhead, so changing the cartridge is the whole service. We supply the cartridges for the printers we supply, under our own Marapack part numbers, and we set up standing pre-season orders so the cartridges for your peak weeks are ordered before those weeks start.
Marapack Services is the Pacific Northwest distributor for Altech labeling systems, and we supply coding customers across the United States. In June 2026 alone we shipped 144 ink cartridges and one printer to five customers.
Need to plan a season of ink? Request an equipment audit and we will build the order around your line.
Which TIJ ink cartridge matches your substrate?
The surface you print on decides the ink. Porous surfaces such as uncoated corrugate, kraft and paper absorb ink, so water based ink is right and is the lowest cost per code. Non porous surfaces such as coated cartons, plastic, film and foil need solvent based ink, because water based ink on them smears.
Choosing the printer is easy. Choosing the ink is where coding projects succeed or fail, so match it to the surface first.
- Porous means the surface absorbs ink: uncoated corrugated cases, kraft paper, uncoated cartons, paper bags. Water based ink dries by absorption.
- Non porous means the ink must dry on the surface: coated cartons, plastics, films, foils, shrink wrap, laminated stock and glossy faces. Solvent based ink is required.
If a pack is partly coated and partly bare, test both areas, and look at the code an hour later to see whether it smeared or faded.
What MPT cartridges do we supply?
We supply nine MPT cartridge chemistries: one water based black for porous surfaces and eight solvent based inks for non porous ones, covering black, white, red, yellow, blue, green and an invisible ink. Each carries a Marapack part number beginning MPT, set out in the table below.
| Marapack SKU | Chemistry | Color | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| MPT-WB1-BK | Water based | Black | Uncoated corrugate, kraft, paper, absorbent board |
| MPT-SB1-BK | Solvent based | Black | Coated cartons, plastics, films, foils |
| MPT-SB2-BK | Solvent based | Black | Second solvent black formulation for different substrate and dry time requirements |
| MPT-SB3-WH | Solvent based | White | Dark and brown substrates where black will not read |
| MPT-SB4-RD | Solvent based | Red | Color coding, alerts, allergen and grade marking |
| MPT-SB5-YL | Solvent based | Yellow | Color coding on dark substrates |
| MPT-SB6-BL | Solvent based | Blue | Color coding, shift or line differentiation |
| MPT-SB7-GR | Solvent based | Green | Color coding, shift or line differentiation |
| MPT-SB8-IV | Solvent based | Invisible | Covert marking where a visible code is not wanted |
Cartridges are specific to the printer platform, so tell us the printer model when you order and we will confirm the cartridge with you. Our MPT inks are specified for the Titan family; tell us the printer model and we confirm the cartridge before you order. Our printers are described on our coding and marking equipment page.
How do standing pre-season orders work?
A standing pre-season order is a cartridge order set up ahead of your busy weeks, in the chemistries and quantities your line needs, so the ink arrives before the line runs hard. We set them up because private-label ink is made to order rather than pulled off a shelf, so a last minute order is not a plan.
The shape is simple. We ask what you coded last season, which surfaces you run, how many lines will run at once and when the season starts. We build the order with you in spring, so the call that comes in July is about a code, not a shortage.
Produce plants run coding hardest in exactly the weeks when nothing can wait. A line that runs out of cartridges waits as long as it takes to make and ship a new order.
Private label ink carries a minimum processing time, which is the reason to order ahead. We do not publish a lead time here, because it depends on the chemistry and the quantity; ask us when you plan the order.
What should you tell us when you reorder?
Tell us four things: the printer model, the surface you code, the ink you ran last season, and how many printers will run at once. With those we can confirm the right MPT cartridge, check whether the same ink still suits the surface, and size the order for the weeks you need.
- The printer model. The model and the configuration.
- The surface. Uncoated corrugate, coated carton, film, foil, a dark or brown face.
- Last season's ink. The SKU you ran, and whether it dried, smeared or faded.
- How many printers run together. One line or several, and whether a printer is spare.
If a code smeared or faded last season, tell us. It is more often a mismatch between ink and surface, or a pack wandering past the head, than a bad cartridge, and we would rather fix the cause than reorder it.
When should you change ink chemistry?
Change ink chemistry when the surface changes, not mid season on the same pack. Moving to a different ink changes dry time and adhesion, which changes the result on a line that was working. Specify once, hold it through the season, and test any change on your actual pack before you commit.
Reasons to change include a new case supplier with a coated board, a move from paper to film, or a request to color code a product or shift. For any of them, print on the actual surface at your actual line speed and room temperature, and check it an hour later.
If the line is idle for most of the year, the cartridge approach suits you: there is no circulating ink system to shut down and restart, which is why some seasonal plants may prefer thermal inkjet. Our thermal inkjet versus continuous inkjet comparison covers the trade offs.
How do you store TIJ cartridges?
Keep cartridges away from heat. Cartridges have a shelf life and they do not like heat, so a season's order should be stored indoors where the temperature stays steady, not on a hot loading dock or beside a heater, and used before the oldest ones age.
We do not publish a shelf life figure on this page, because the research behind it is not yet confirmed. Ask us about the SKU you run when you plan the order.
Frequently asked questions
What is a TIJ ink cartridge? A sealed cartridge for a thermal inkjet printer that holds the ink and the printhead together. When it is empty you replace it, and the printhead is new with it, so the printer has no printhead to clean or service.
Which cartridge do I need for corrugated cases? For uncoated corrugate and kraft, water based black, MPT-WB1-BK. For coated or waxed faces, a solvent based ink. Print on your actual case and check it an hour later, because case surfaces vary.
Which cartridge do I need for film and plastic? A solvent based ink, such as MPT-SB1-BK black, because water based ink does not dry on a non porous surface. MPT-SB2-BK is a second solvent black formulation for different surface and dry time needs.
What ink works on dark or brown surfaces? MPT-SB3-WH, a white solvent based ink, on dark and brown substrates where black will not read.
Can we run different inks on one line? Yes, if the surfaces differ. A printer codes the surface in front of it, so a case printer and a film printer on the same line can run different chemistries. Ink can often be the same if both surfaces are in the same porosity class.
Why do you ask us to order before the season? Because private-label ink is made to order rather than pulled off a shelf, so it cannot be ordered at the last minute. A standing pre-season order means your peak weeks are covered before they start.
How much does a TIJ ink cartridge cost? It depends on the chemistry and the quantity. We quote when we know the SKUs and the season's volume, and we do not publish a price on this page.
Do you sell cartridges for printers you did not supply? Tell us the printer and we will say honestly whether we can supply the right cartridge.
What do I do if the code smears or fades? Check the surface and the presentation first: the ink may not suit the surface, or the pack may be passing too far from the head. Tell us what you are printing on and we will help find the cause. For labeling equipment on the same line, our labeler repair and service work covers it.
Plan your season of ink
Tell us the printer, the surface and last season's volume, and we will confirm the cartridge and build a standing order before your season begins. We would rather do it in spring than take the call in July. Call 253-709-5566 or ask us to plan your ink supply.