David Savastano, Editor02.02.16
In April 2014, Flint Group was acquired by Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division and Koch Equity Development LLC, a subsidiary of Koch Industries, Inc. Flint Group remains the second-largest global ink manufacturer, and there was much interest in what the company’s strategy would be going forward. At the time, I recall that there was talk about ways to grow Flint Group through adding companies.
In the past three months, Flint Group has made two significant acquisitions of its own, strengthening its portfolio is significant growth segments.
• In November 2015, Flint Group made a huge move, acquiring Xeikon and forming a new division, Flint Group Digital Printing Solutions.
• On Feb. 1, 2016, Flint Group added Advanced Color Systems, Inc. (ACS), Tualatin, OR.
I have discussed the implications of Flint Group’s purchase of Xeikon here. Xeikon gives Flint Group its first foothold in the high-growth digital printing field.
The purchase of Advanced Color Systems aims to strengthen Flint Group’s presence in the packaging printing market, another sizable growth business. ACS manufactures water-based inks, with a focus on the paper and board markets in North America.
Advanced Color Systems’ leaders, Tim Becker and Reed Fowler, founded their company in the early 2000s, having both come out of Willamette Industries. Willamette Industries was a huge paper and lumber company that produced, among other things, cardboard and paper bags; the company was acquired in a hostile takeover by Weyerhaeuser in 2002.
Advanced Color Systems is focused on inks for paper and board customers, and is well regarded for its customer service.
In a statement following the acquisition, Flint Group CEO Antoine Fady touched on the strengths of ACS and how it fits within Flint Group:
“Flint Group is very pleased with this new partnership and the opportunities it presents to expand in the North American Paper & Board packaging market. Tim Becker, Reed Fowler, and the team at Advanced Color Systems have built a customer focused and responsive organization with teams dedicated to its clients’ success. This culture of teamwork and customer satisfaction fits perfectly with Flint Group’s own strategy and vision.”
It is clear from these two acquisitions that Flint Group is prepared to continue to move forward with acquisitions into growth markets.
In the past three months, Flint Group has made two significant acquisitions of its own, strengthening its portfolio is significant growth segments.
• In November 2015, Flint Group made a huge move, acquiring Xeikon and forming a new division, Flint Group Digital Printing Solutions.
• On Feb. 1, 2016, Flint Group added Advanced Color Systems, Inc. (ACS), Tualatin, OR.
I have discussed the implications of Flint Group’s purchase of Xeikon here. Xeikon gives Flint Group its first foothold in the high-growth digital printing field.
The purchase of Advanced Color Systems aims to strengthen Flint Group’s presence in the packaging printing market, another sizable growth business. ACS manufactures water-based inks, with a focus on the paper and board markets in North America.
Advanced Color Systems’ leaders, Tim Becker and Reed Fowler, founded their company in the early 2000s, having both come out of Willamette Industries. Willamette Industries was a huge paper and lumber company that produced, among other things, cardboard and paper bags; the company was acquired in a hostile takeover by Weyerhaeuser in 2002.
Advanced Color Systems is focused on inks for paper and board customers, and is well regarded for its customer service.
In a statement following the acquisition, Flint Group CEO Antoine Fady touched on the strengths of ACS and how it fits within Flint Group:
“Flint Group is very pleased with this new partnership and the opportunities it presents to expand in the North American Paper & Board packaging market. Tim Becker, Reed Fowler, and the team at Advanced Color Systems have built a customer focused and responsive organization with teams dedicated to its clients’ success. This culture of teamwork and customer satisfaction fits perfectly with Flint Group’s own strategy and vision.”
It is clear from these two acquisitions that Flint Group is prepared to continue to move forward with acquisitions into growth markets.