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Esko to sell Kongsberg digital finishing business to OpenGate Capital

Esko has announced that it plans to sell its Kongsberg digital finishing business to OpenGate Capital, subject to any applicable information and/or consultation with employee representative bodies under applicable local law.

The planned sale includes the original research and development facility in Kongsberg, Norway and production facility in Brno, Czech Republic. OpenGate Capital is a private equity firm based in Los Angeles, Cal.

“Esko is concentrating our efforts on delivering end-to-end workflow solutions for our customers across the packaging supply chain: from brands to premedia to packaging printers and converters. With a sharpened focus, we can accelerate our delivery of integrated software and hardware technologies to help our customers digitize, automate and connect their operations so they can realize the growth and efficiency that digital transformation offers. I am confident that OpenGate will be a strong, strategic home for Kongsberg, and that the employees who will transfer with the business will thrive in their new home,” said Mattias Byström, president of Esko.

Customers with Kongsberg systems can expect business as usual, as most of the employees working with these customers will continue to do so as part of the new stand-alone business.

The new company, called Kongsberg PCS, will be led by incoming President Stuart Fox, a digital finishing expert that will be moving to the new company from Esko.

“We are excited about this change and the new opportunities it brings for Kongsberg to accelerate growth with new customers,” said Fox.

OpenGate Capital aims to grow the business beyond packaging applications, expanding the product offering and growing the tooling and consumables businesses.