KBA is planning to taken over the control of Flexotecnica based in Tavazzano, Italy, which is just outside of Milan. The move signals KBA’s entry into the flexible packaging sector, with an emphasis on films.
This is the second significant investment into a new market in less than a year for the German press maker, which made headlines in May 2012 during the drupa 2012 exhibition by introducing an industrial inkjet web press, called RotaJET, as well as the Varius 80 for shorter runs.
KBA explains the planned takeover of Flexotecnica is an opportunity to expand its existing strong position in the folding-carton market into a further growing packaging segment. For well over a decade, KBA, through its Rapida line of presses, has controlled a 50 percent global market share in large-format offset, which is the primary technology used for long-run folding carton work. In 2012 alone, KBA held more than a 65 percent market share in North America’s large-format sheetfed sector.
Flexotecnica is a subsidiary of Officine Meccaniche G. Cerutti (OMGC), an Italian company that specializes in gravure for the packaging and publication sectors with headquarters in Casale Monferrato, near Turin. Around 100 Flexotecnica employees build and merchandizes central-cylinder flexo presses for printing on various flexible packaging materials. The company has primarily focused its business activities in Europe.
The price for the majority stake in the Italian company, according to KBA, will be in the high single-digit million euros, following adjustments on the basis of agreed items made on the settlement date. The acquisition has been approved by the KBA supervisory board, but the final takeover by KBA is still subject to conditions that have to be met in the next few months, including a review by antitrust authorities.
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