Business Management - M&A

Heidelberg has reached another milestone in its digital growth strategy with its takeover of DOCUFY. DOCUFY develops professional software solutions for technical documentation and is the first provider of multi-level documentation. The acquisition is effective as of May 1, 2017.

Even if you're at the peak of your career as a printing company owner, and the decision to sell your printing business is years away, there's no time like the present to account for the necessary steps to be ready for the sales process.

EFI has announced its acquisition of CRC Information Systems, a provider of business management information systems (MIS) for commercial printers and packaging label and forms printers.

As the former president of a Printing Industries of America regional affiliate, I had the good fortune to work with many smart and successful owners of thriving printing businesses. I had the greatest respect for their abilities, but then as now, there is one thing that I would never have recommended that they attempt: selling their companies without professional representation and advisement.

If, as the owner of a printing company, you suddenly decided to stop showing up for work, could the business carry on without you?

ProAmpac has announced its acquisition of Trinity Packaging Corp., a flexible packaging company specializing in large format packaging for the lawn and garden, food and specialty industrial markets.

hubergroup, USA, Inc. and Alden & Ott Printing Inks Co. have announced that hubergroup has acquired substantially all of the assets of Alden & Ott in a private deal. Alden & Ott is a comprehensive ink manufacturer developing custom solutions for both the offset and flexo printing markets in the Midwest and Northeast.

Do you, as the owner of a printing business, have a plan for no longer being the owner of that business?

You've finally made it to the point in an acquisition where you can sit down with the seller and close the deal. This is the point at which we always urge our buying clients to pause, take a breath, and circle back to the essentials of the transaction.

In diplomacy, the motto for negotiators and peacemakers is “Trust, but verify.” The advice applies to M&A transactions between printing companies as well. Get the facts, confirm the understandings and be open about everything that the process discloses.