Okay, first of all, I need to explain why I chose to add Xeikon to the production inkjet series, when in fact they really don’t currently have any solutions based on inkjet technology. The primary reason is the introduction of the new Xeikon Trillium One continuous feed liquid toner press, which is designed to compete against both dry toner and inkjet presses, but more on that later.
If you haven’t been paying attention over the last two years, in April of 2014, the Flint Group—with more than 137 locations worldwide—was acquired jointly by two significant players; the financial powerhouse Goldman Sachs and Koch Industries, one of the fastest growing global conglomerates.
With new resources and drive, it didn’t take long for the Flint Group to make its intentions known and to significantly grow its portfolio with the acquisition of Xeikon in December of 2015. This, its first acquisition, expanded the Flint Group business beyond just making ink. With the acquisition of Xeikon, Flint has now made a statement that it wants to make the equipment that drives the consumption of the ink as well. And while Xeikon is the first press manufacturer acquired by the Flint Group, I expect that there will be additional acquisitions in the future, with the potential of creating another very significant player in the digital production print space. Perhaps some inkjet technology might be in the horizon for Flint?
