During the last few months of 2015 and throughout 2016, the printing ink industry finally joined up with its customers and suppliers in terms of mergers and acquisitions. Among the most notable highlights, Flint Group added the eighth-largest North American ink manufacturer (American Inks & Coatings) and the European publication offset and gravure ink business segment coalesced into a few large suppliers.
 
So far, though, 2017 has been rather quiet for the ink industry. To be fair, it has also been fairly silent for the printing industry as well, with the one major exception being WestRock Company’s announcement of an agreement to buy Multi Packaging Solutions International Limited (MPS) for a total enterprise value of $2.28 billion.
 
A print-based specialty packaging business, MPS specializes in folding cartons, inserts, labels and rigid packaging. The company reported close to $800 millionin sales for the past six months.
 
On the supplier side, merger activity has also been fairly quiet. The largest deal by far, Evonik Industries AG’s acquisition of Air Products’ Performance Materials Division for $3.8 billion, was completed in January, but previously announced during 2016.
 
One move that is hard to categorize is the ALTANA AG purchase of Landa Group’s Metallography technology. An alternative ot foil stamping, this technology will be transferred to ALTANA’s ACTEGA Coatings & Sealants division, which will look to bring it to market in the coming years.
 
The ink side has been relatively quiet, at least until last week, when hubergroup USA, Inc. acquired Alden & Ott Printing Inks. Based in Arlington Heights, IL, Alden & Ott was founded in 957, and is a offset, UV and flexo ink specialist. hubergroup USA is a subsidiary of hubergroup, Munich, Germany, the sixth largest global ink manufacturer, which had sales of nearly $900 million in 2016.
 
This acquisition offers benefits for each company and its customers, as the two companies will share their product line and technical expertise, particularly in the growing packaging field.
 
Aside from the hubergroup USA-Alden & Ott acquisition, there have been some moves of late. An interesting one is the JV formed between Sun Chemical and Alliance Holding Company, Ltd. Alliance Holding Company is the parent company of Ink Products Company, Ltd., which is a leading manufacturer of printing inks in the Arabian Peninsula. The new JV is Sun Chemical Saudi Arabia Ltd.
 
“This partnership reinforces Sun Chemical’s commitment to the growing package printing markets across the Middle East,” said Rudi Lenz, president and CEO of Sun Chemical, in announcing the JV.
 
Siegwerk Druckfarben AG & Co. KGaA was active with its plans to add UK-based Hi-Tech Products Ltd, a water-based flexo inks and coatings supplier that specializes in corrugated packaging.
 
“This merger enables us to expand our local footprint in the UK and therefore to continue raising our profile as a supplier of water-based printing inks in Europe,” said Dirk Weissenfeldt, VP Paper & Board and Liquid Food Packaging at Siegwerk.