Flint Increases Heatset and Coldset Strength

Edited by the Printingtalk editorial team Jan 28, 2004

Flint Ink of the USA has acquired the Swiss Sicpa Group's worldwide heatset and coldset ink business, whilst Sicpa has taken on Flint Ink's worldwide business for security inks used on currency.

Flint Ink of the USA has acquired the Swiss Sicpa Group's worldwide heatset and coldset ink business, whilst Sicpa has taken on Flint Ink's worldwide business for security inks used on currency and other negotiable documents.

The acquisition by Flint adds to the heatset and coldset printing ink business of its European divisions, Flint-Schmidt GmbH and Co KG.

Production will be transferred to Flint-Schmidt facilities in Cologne, Germany, 's-Gravenzande in the Netherlands and Wolverhampton, England as well as a new factory in Finland.

The company said the acquisition would similarly add to Flint Ink's market share in Australia and New Zealand.

"Flint-Schmidt is the leading European producer of publication gravure inks and is a major producer of heatset and coldset inks.

"The exchange supports each company's business strengths.

Flint Ink is a leading manufacturer of news and publication printing inks, while Sicpa inks are used on the majority of the world's banknotes," said Flint Ink president Dave Frescoln." He added that the transactions did not include any of the security technology associated with brand protection or supply chain management that Flint Ink is currently exploring with other partners.

Flint believes the addition of Sicpa's publication heatset and news ink business gives it a strong competitive position in those two markets, as well as acting to strengthen its position in India and across Pacific markets, including Australia and New Zealand.

It also claims that the development will strengthen its leadership in the world news ink market.

Founded in 1920, Flint Ink is the largest privately owned printing ink manufacturer in the world.

It offers inks for flexographic, sheetfed, web offset, gravure and the UV and EB curable printing markets as well as ink and materials for digital printing.

It operates 100 facilities worldwide, employs 5,000 people and has sales in excess of $1.4 billion worldwide.