Offset Printing
WIFAG Maschinenfabrik AG fully acquires the SOLNA Group (Sweden) and EKPAC Graphics Hong Kong
Tuesday 05. April 2011 - SOLNA is a manufacturer of predominantly single wide printing presses for the newspaper and book printing market. With the acquisition of SOLNA, WIFAG enlarges its product portfolio with economical and competitive printing presses for the still growing newspaper press market in the Emerging Markets. With EKPAC Graphics HK, WIFAG gains direct access to the high growth rate markets of China, South East Asia and Middle East.
SOLNA is, in terms of sold units, number two in China for single wide, single or double around printing presses. With an output of up to 70000 copies/hour SOLNA has one of the fastest running press in this market segment.
SOLNA printing presses are manufactured and assembled in Europe and recently a manufacturing supply chain was built up in China. Depending on customer requirements, parts manufacturing and assembly can be executed in China or Europe. WIFAG obtains immediate admission to a low cost manufacturing source for newspaper press products and for other product lines of the WIFAG-Polytype Group.
With this investment the WIFAG-Polytype Group confirms its commitment to the niche market of newspaper printing presses as a core activity of the Group. Under the renowned WIFAG brand, the high performance presses of the WIFAG evolution technology generation (4×1, 4×2, 6×2 formats) will continue to be built and sold. The SOLNA 390 single wide high speed press range at very affordable prices will be promoted and sold (2×1, 2×2 formats) under the successful SOLNA brand. In addition, a cost-efficient SOLNA book printing press is also available.
The SOLNA organization in Sweden will remain in place and serve the existing customer base and will be responsible for the SOLNA product orders. WIFAG and SOLNA printing presses destined for the European, North and South American markets will be assembled in Fribourg, Switzerland.
This acquisition will bring operational benefits in supply chain, sales network and general administration. WIFAG expects that other positive synergies will render each product line more competitive in their respective market segments.
The combined newspaper business of WIFAG and SOLNA with headquarters in Fribourg, Switzerland will be run by Jörgen Karlsson, former CEO and owner of SOLNA. He will move to Fribourg in April 2011 and report to Peter Ruth, CEO of the WIFAG and Polytype Group.
Jörgen Karlsson takes on this new challenge with the experienced WIFAG management team: Christian Miescher – Engineering, Hugo Haymoz – Services, Andreas Thüler – Special Projects and Noel McEvoy – Sales, Projects & Marketing.