According to a statement issued this morning, Netherlands and Belgium-based private equity house Bencis Capital Partners will purchase, subject to conditions, Punch’s 65.68% controlling stake in Xeikon for €110.3m. Once the conditions, largely centred on Xeikon’s interim results, Bencis raising the required capital and the approval of competition authorities, are met, the €5.85-per-share cash offer will be extended to a mandatory offer of the same share value to the remaining shareholders of publically traded Xeikon. The business will then be delisted. The offer price represents a 32% premium over Xeikon’s average share price in the past six months and a 10% premium on yesterday’s closing price of €5.33. The transaction is expected to complete no later than 17 September. The deal, which was first mooted in January, has been recommended to shareholders by the Punch board. As part of the deal, Bencis will also acquire Xeikon’s premises in Belgium and Point-IT, Xeikon’s IT services provider. Once the deal has been completed, a second investment fund, Gimv, will acquire a 20% stake in Xeikon. Punch, which was a major supplier of components to Xeikon, bought the then ailing press manufacturer’s colour digital assets out of bankruptcy in March 2002. Neither Xeikon nor Bencis were available for comment at the time of writing....

Managing director Mal McGowan said: “The choice of the Rho 1030 is to help us remain ahead of competition and provide a better service for our customers. The kit is quite simply the best in its class for productivity and quality of print.” The machine was the fastest fully automated flatbed printer available, said McGowan, and capable of production speeds of up to 1,000sqm/hr without compromising print quality. Durst’s Quadro Array 30M printhead carriage has more than 65,000 nozzles. The Rho is an addition to existing machines and has a list price of around €1.15m (£990,000). “Speed and full automation with automated loading and unloading makes it good for both industrial production and as a standalone facility. It is capable of parallel printing of boards and perfect reverse-side printing. Options include corrugated board printing, roll-to-roll and roll-to-sheet configurations. “We took the Rho 1030 because we needed to increase capacity. We first saw the kit at a Durst innovation day in Lienz, Austria, in April and were so impressed by its performance. We wanted a machine that offered fully automated production. It is also really fast. “We are aiming for further diversification and growth and see the Rho 1030 as part of our future. I think we could very soon be looking at Durst’s roll-to-roll printers, in particular, the Rho P10 for its superb quality of print.” McGowans’ 90 staff is based in two factories, in Dublin and Belfast, and the company has a sales presence in London. It supplies digitally printed retail products, including POS, display units, floor graphics, signage and vehicle wraps for retailers such as Lidl and Primark as well as agencies. Its large-format line-up includes an Inca, an M-Press Tiger, six machines from HP including Indigo and latex printers, a Nur Expedio and a screen line. These are supported by a laminator and both Kongsburg and Zünd automatic cutting tables. “We have had a long relationship with Durst installing a very early Lambda, and today we have two Lambdas,” said McGowan. “Our first digital inkjet machine was an Inca Eagle 44, which I believe was only the third to be installed anywhere.”...

The Redline is due to be installed at the beginning of October. According to Diecut UK, the new machine is capable of cutting sheets of up to 1.9×1.3m at speeds of up to 3,000sph. It features a 500t cutting press and can handle thicknesses of 0.5mm-12mm. A “triple-action stripping section and grip-edge removal” mean the machine can output 100% stripped product. The RL-1900 is also equipped with a retractable, automated top feed system, which can feed rigid sheets without the need for operator interference. The feed system can be retracted to allow more difficult substrates, such as thin plastics and self-adhesive films, to be hand-fed into the machine. Dave Leighton, managing director at Ashton, Manchester-based Fast Pak, said: “At Fast Pak we go through a lengthy procurement process, evaluating all of our options available and make purchases based on fact. The Redline quite simply won due to how well built and robust the machine is and because of the features that enable the operator to make ready and change jobs quickly and efficiently.” Fast Pak supplies corrugated packs and cases for a wide variety of commercial and industrial applications....

UK Mail, one of the largest express delivery companies in the UK, already has a depot in the Livingston area of West Lothian. But the new sort centre is the first integrated Scottish-based print and mail facility and involved an investment of £250,000, the company said. Imail, launched in 2008 as a rival to Royal Mail’s first class service, allows users to email documents that are then printed and sent for next day delivery. The new Livingston set up includes two Konica Minolta C8000 printers to print letters and marketing postcards and has led to four new jobs with plans for more investment and jobs next year. Imail general manager Andy Barber said: “From a standing start in late 2008 imail now prints and mails more than 20m client letters and postcards annually. Now we can now grow further. We expect to invest a further £500,000 in the next year and double staff numbers.” Imail allows organisations to send letters, direct mail, marketing cards and other forms of correspondence from their PC, Mac or Laptop. Printing, production and postage of letters aims to offer clear and simple payment for customers to increase cost and efficiency savings. UK Mail Group is one of the largest independent parcels, mail and logistics services companies in the UK, with a national network of 55 sites and 3,000 drivers. It is accountable for over 17% of all addressed mail within the UK. The group recently announced a 6% year-on-year increase in revenues for Q1 2013. The parcels’ business saw strong performance, with daily volumes for the quarter increasing 25% compared to the same period last...

UK Mail, one of the largest express delivery companies in the UK, already has a depot in the Livingston area of West Lothian. But the new sort centre is the first integrated Scottish-based print and mail facility and involved an investment of £250,000, the company said. Imail, launched in 2008 as a rival to Royal Mail’s first class service, allows users to email documents that are then printed and sent for next day delivery. The new Livingston set up includes two Konica Minolta C8000 printers to print letters and marketing postcards and has led to four new jobs with plans for more investment and jobs next year. Imail general manager Andy Barber said: “From a standing start in late 2008 imail now prints and mails more than 20m client letters and postcards annually. Now we can now grow further. We expect to invest a further £500,000 in the next year and double staff numbers.” Imail allows organisations to send letters, direct mail, marketing cards and other forms of correspondence from their PC, Mac or Laptop. Printing, production and postage of letters aims to offer clear and simple payment for customers to increase cost and efficiency savings. UK Mail Group is one of the largest independent parcels, mail and logistics services companies in the UK, with a national network of 55 sites and 3,000 drivers. It is accountable for over 17% of all addressed mail within the UK. The group recently announced a 6% year-on-year increase in revenues for Q1 2013. The parcels’ business saw strong performance, with daily volumes for the quarter increasing 25% compared to the same period last...