HP has become the biggest grand format inkjet printing developer with its purchase of the Israeli NUR Macroprinters business, which when combined with its HP Scitex unit propels HP into top spot in this burgeoning market sector.
HP has paid US$117.5m (A$135m) for NUR which designs, develops, manufactures, markets, services and supports wide-format inkjet production printers and high-quality companion inks that address the full spectrum of wide-format printing applications. Continuing a tradition of pioneering in UV inkjet printing, NUR's offers both flatbed and roll-to-roll UV inkjet printers.
The purchase of NUR comes two years after HP bought Scitex wide format, also of course based in Israel. Buying NUR highlights HP's ongoing belief in the graphic arts industry, in which it is now one of the major players, with its DesignJet, Scitex, NUR and Indigo print solutions.
NUR is a leading supplier of UV-curable and solvent inkjet printers for display graphics, serving commercial printing companies, sign printers, screen printers, billboard and media companies, photo labs and digital print service providers.
The acquisition expands HP's graphic arts portfolio of digital presses and wide-format printers and furthers HP's Print 2.0 strategy to digitise analogue prints by extending the company's overall digital content creation and publishing platform. With the acquisition, HP will be able to offer additional mid-range UV platforms and technologies.
Shane Lucas, Director Graphic Arts, Imaging & Printing Group, HP South Pacific said the acquisition "clearly signals a further strengthening of HP's leadership position in the graphic arts market."
NUR's UV portfolio with both roll-to-roll and flatbed/hybrid printers greatly complement the HP Scitex portfolio in high end. Combined with the recent MacDermid Colorspan acquisition HP's expanded offer will provide the company with further access to a greatly broadened market space.
"The combination of HP and NUR will provide our customers and channel partners with a vastly expanded mix of quality and service that is unmatched in the digital graphics printing industry," said David Reis, chief executive officer, NUR Macroprinters.
Lucas says, "HP can now offer a full range of thermal inkjet aqueous, low-solvent piezoelectric, solvent piezoelectric and now UV-curable piezoelectric solutions. Customers of HP who are growing into outdoor applications and more industrial work loads will have a continuous growth path with us.
"I feel very confident in saying to customers choosing to partner with HP, that we offer not only the strength of technology leadership in graphic arts but also as a US$100bn vendor of IT infrastructure, services, software and printing, the security of our significant capacity, capability and investment in R&D."
HP's acquisition of NUR is another step in HP's graphic arts strategy to broaden the portfolio of digital presses and wide-format printers. In September 2007, HP announced the acquisition of MacDermid ColorSpan, a manufacturer of wide-format digital inkjet printers and a key supplier to sign shop franchises, quick printers and other small to midsize sign-making and screen-printing businesses.
The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions. Upon completion of the deal, NUR will be integrated into HP's Large Format Printing Business within the company's Imaging and Printing Group.
