Drent Goebel Acquires Canada's Marathon

Drent Goebel has acquired Canada's RDP Marathon.

Drent Goebel has acquired Canada's RDP Marathon.

Following the merger of Drent and Goebel in 2001 and the acquisition of Giebeler in 2003 the development will further strengthen Drent Goebel's position, especially in the US and Canadian markets.

Drent Goebel said that RDP Marathon, based in Montreal, has a large market share especially in the commercial printing market for long runs.

RDP builds the V-series blanket to steel and the P-series blanket to blanket machines for that market.

Those presses with web widths up to 965mm (38") will fit perfectly in to the Drent Goebel portfolio.

According to Rob Teunissen, the chief executive officer of Drent Goebel, the success of its Variable Sleeve Offset Printing (VSOP) press in the North American market made the acquisition logical.

Teunissen said: "We already had our own service and sales organisation in Chicago.

Looking at the potential of the VSOP in the North American market, the acquisition was the best possible way to strengthen our organisation.

RDP Marathon is the perfect partner for that, having not only a particularly good reputation in the market but also outstanding presses with a large installation base and a fully tooled-up sales, service and manufacturing organization." Eric Short, the president of RDP Marathon, is also particularly delighted that two leading players in the global market will be adding to each other's strengths, working together from now on.

He said: "What we are going to achieve is synergy between the two companies.

I know that it is a much abused word but it states exactly the strength of our collaboration.

Both companies have their roots in designing and building durable and innovative presses.

Drent Goebel is strong in Europe and in up and coming markets, such as Asia.

We serve Canada and the United States with our sales and service.

It's a perfect match." RDP Marathon was established in 1989.

The company supplies a range of printing presses that use a combination of printing processes, with its core capabilities including gravure, flexo, waterless and offset printing.

Short added: "RDP Marathon stands for reliable, durable precision.

The deal gives us access to a large number of top engineers who can make optimum use of their knowledge to build durable and innovative printing presses for our customers.

As for the future, this combined knowledge will produce even better machines." RDP Marathon has its own engineering department and will also be assembling VSOP presses destined for the North American market.

Sales for the North American market are managed from Montreal by Eric Short.

Service for Drent Goebel presses will be coordinated out of the Chicago office.

RDP will keep its own service coordination.

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