Fuji Photo Film acquires Sericol Group of the United Kingdom

Sericol is a global corporation engaged in the development, manufacturing and sale of inks for screen and package printing as well as industrial inkjet inks and materials. With inks for screen printing and wide format digital UV inkjet inks, the company maintains a leading market share position worldwide.

Fujifilm develops, manufatures and markets film for platemaking, primarily for offset printing, PS plates and CTP plates for which demand is currently growing rapidly. The company also provides various systems such as image processing software for prepress, filmsetters/platesetters, and digital proofing as part of its global-scale printing business.

According to a press release, the acquisition will further expand and develop the printing business, one of the core businesses of Fujifilm, as it will extend the company’s business domain into other areas of industrial printing which are expected to grow steadily in the future. The acquisition will also enable Fujifilm to extend its operations into industrial printing and package printing further expanding its existing business range of commercial, publishing and newspaper printing.

Significant synergistic effects are expected from this acquisition in sales and product development. It will be possible to establish a UV ink system that incorporates superior characteristics by combining photo-polymerization technologies that Fujifilm has been nurturing over the years through the development of photopolymer CPT plates and other products, as well as material technologies for raising the sensitivity levels using Sericol’s existing technologies.

To make further headway toward new growth strategies, a key part of its medium-term management plan Vision 75, Fujifilm has been aggressively making capital and R&D investments. Fujifilm will continue to actively expand its business through mergers and acquisitions.