Appleton acquires European secure printing provider

Appleton, a manufacturer of carbonless, thermal, security, inkjet and performance packaging products based in Wisconsin has acquired BemroseBooth of Derby, England. Appleton acquired all of Bemrose Group Limited’s shares for approximately $60 million.

BemroseBooth employs nearly 850 people at manufacturing sites in Derby, Hull and Teesside in the UK, and is a provider of ‘mission critical’ secure and specialized print services. Products include variable data labeling, security printed vouchers and payment cards, mass transit and car parking tickets, high-integrity mailing and niche publishing. Its 2003 sales revenue is expected to be approximately $100 million.

Doug Buth, Appleton’s chief executive officer, says the acquisition of BemroseBooth provides Appleton with immediate access to security product markets in the UK and Western Europe.

‘The company’s location, customer base, experienced management team, and market leadership positions make BemroseBooth a strong platform from which to grow our security business,’ he said, adding that both companies will benefit from sharing security technologies and product development efforts.

The combined resources of Appleton and BemroseBooth create a significant provider of specialized and secure print services. Buth says Appleton will provide the resources to enable BemroseBooth to accelerate its growth plans while continuing to operate independently.