Swedish finishing equipment manufacturer Plockmatic Group has acquired UK-based Intec Printing Solutions to expand its sales through the existing Intec and Morgana international dealer networks.
Intec, founded by Ian Melville in 1989 and who is now stepping down, will continue to design and configure products at its Poole, Dorset, headquarters and all current staff will be retained. The acquisition includes the company’s US operation based in Tampa, Florida.
Intec’s most popular range, ColorCut, is a collection of entry-level large-format production flatbed cutting products. The company is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Plockmatic International and part of the Plockmatic Group, which includes the Morgana and Watkiss ranges of offline finishing systems.
Plockmatic’s CEO, Jan Marstorp, who will continue to head the expanded group of companies, said, ‘Intec are well known in the industry for providing quality products at competitive prices. The ColorCut range of cutting systems have been well received by the market, with sales in the UK, across North America, and many other international territories.
‘These systems are ideal for small to medium sized print-based operations that need to provide professionally-cut and finished promotional display boards, boxes, labels and more. This is a sector of the market that has grown rapidly in recent years, and one that Plockmatic is keen to further explore and expand. We also see a good match for these products with our large OEM customers who provide printers. These products will enable more applications and allow them to grow further into the light packaging and labelling market segment.’
Ray Hillhouse, vice president of sales and marketing at Plockmatic’s offline business unit, added, ‘Our UK Morgana sales team have enjoyed considerable success with the Valiani range of large format finishing systems in recent years.
‘We see the ColorCut suite of products complementing these in the UK and providing a terrific opportunity in this expanding market segment for our international dealerships worldwide.’
Mr Melville said, ‘Having started the business focusing on Apple Macs and pre-press products back in 1989, we’ve travelled right through the printing process to our current range of post-press equipment. I can safely say that it has been a long, eventful, highly enjoyable, and, ultimately, very successful journey. It has been a great delight to meet with printers and print equipment suppliers from all around the world – they are all great people. It has been a pleasure to be a part of this fantastic and highly adaptable industry.
“As the owner of a successful business there comes a time when the question of where the business goes after I’m gone has to be posed. The sale of the business to Plockmatic has come at a good time for me and for my fantastic team. This transaction will give me the opportunity to spend more time on several charitable projects that I have been involved with, as well as enjoying some well-earned holiday time. For the business and the staff, it will provide the solid backing from a successful international manufacturer.’
