manroland AG in negotiations to purchase WIFAG

manroland AG is negotiating the purchase of WIFAG AG, the Bern specialist for high-quality newspaper printing solutions. The corresponding letter of intent was signed. Negotiations should be finalized in spring.

By integrating the press and service business, manroland AG rounds its product and service portfolio and sustainably strengthens its position in newspaper printing, and its regional presence. “Our industry is marked by an ongoing and necessary consolidation. The current situation allows us to actively grasp the opportunities in the market to strengthen our business,” says Gerd Finkbeiner, CEO of manroland.

For customers and business partners, WIFAG AG stands for quality, sustainability, and innovation. WIFAG’s outstanding reputation is of great importance for the joined business development. The existing brand, continuity of the company philosophy, and customer relations would be preserved in case of a merger.

Last fall, WIFAG AG announced the reduction of 300 jobs and the search for a strategic business partner. With the sale to manroland, the company responds to the increasing consolidation pressure in the industry.

manroland AG is the world’s second largest printing systems manufacturer and the world’s market leader in web offset. The group with its production facilities in Offenbach, Augsburg and Plauen employs almost 8,700 people and has annual sales of some Euro 1,7 billion with an export share of 80 percent.

Webfed and sheetfed offset presses provide tailor-made solutions for publishing, commercial, and packaging printing – from brochures to newspapers with circulations running into the millions. A worldwide network of about 100 sales and service centers markets manroland’s products as well as process compliant system components and pressroom products.

Web offset presses for newspapers and high-quality commercial printing of brochures, catalogs, magazines, supplements and books are manufactured in the Augsburg facility (founded 1845). They are designed to meet the continually increasing demands on print quality and performance coming from printing and publishing companies all over the world. manroland’s Plauen facility (founded 1896) is renowned for newspaper presses and paper supply systems. The sheetfed press product range built in Offenbach and Mainhausen (founded 1871) comprises system families in small, medium, large and extra-large formats for commercial printing, posters, books and packaging. Some models are available with the revolutionary direct drive system. manroland offers added value with PRINTVALUE.

manroland offers also designing, planning, building, equipping and commissioning sheetfed and web offset printing plants – from prepress through printing right up to finishing. manroland is a provider of customized 24/7 service and (remote) maintenance packages plus integrated services and training measures (printservices). The portfolio includes a certified range of pressroom products (printcom), software products, and workflow management systems (printnet). The group provides consultancy services covering all aspects of investment and building planning, organization, management, systems engineering and process optimization (printadvice).