Ascent Partners’ Richard Rasmussen looks at all the major mergers, acquisitions, administrations, installations and sales in the local printing industry over the past month.
There were some major multi-million dollar “market movements” last month:
- Amcor – with the $22,000,000 sale of three Aperio sites (flexo packaging) to local player, Integrated Packaging and with the operational opening of their $300,000,000 recycled paper mill in Botany.
- Book publishers, Penguin and Random House proposed a merger which may have a major effect on the local printers, PMP and Opus.
- Geon’s bankers, Bank of Scotland International, are selling off a portfolio of “distressed corporate loans” which included $80,000,000 to Gresham Private Equity.
- The Salmat BPO $375,000,000 sale transaction was completed with Fuji Xerox taking over and renaming the business Fuji Xerox Document Management Solutions.
Blue Star was also in the news with the announcement that TMA has withdrawn from looking at its purchase. Rumours are now circulating as to other possible suitors.
Opus announced that it was closing the McPherson's Mulgrave site, with its major equipment being relocated to its ACT and Maryborough plants.
On the acquisition front we saw Excell Printing (NSW) purchase liquidated printer, Bay Print, and Print Approach (QLD) purchase Nicholson Printers.
There were two winding up applications: Universal Business Forms (NSW) and End Print Solutions (NSW), and one liquidation of print broker, All Can Print (NSW).
On the Supplier side, Ricoh purchased IMC Communications and EFI purchased Online Print Solutions.
Major Equipment Sales and Installations
Some significant installations were reported including:
- Computershare (Qld) – Ricoh Infoprint 5000
- Media Point (Vic) – HP FB700 digital flatbed
- Next Print (NSW) – Durst Rho P10 250 Inkjet printer
- Alphabet Publishing (QLD) – Screen Truepress Jet 520 inkjet printer
- Bokay Group (WA) – HP Scitex FB 7600
- Megacolour (NSW) – IN mid 2012, a Heidelberg CD 102 – 6 and Screen Platerite HD 8900 Imager
- Retail Communications (Vic) – Fuji Film Inca Onset SI 40 inkjet flatbed.
Isn’t it interesting to see the change in the industry that the above sample of installations reflects? Also, the names / types of businesses that are buying? A few years ago, perhaps pre-GFC, the list would look very different.
Market Watch
For further information on past month’s stories, see our Market Watch web page, http://www.ascentpartners.com.au/market-watch.php, or subscribe (FOC) to our monthly bulletin.