BASF and ANI merge inks and plates business

BASF Printing Systems and ANI Printing Inks - formerly Akzo Nobel Inks - are to merge following their acquisition by CVC Capital Partners (CVC), a leading European private equity firm.
The sale covers all the BASF printing system facilities and activities, including pigment production at the BASF Colorants & Chemicals Co. Ltd. in Shanghai as well as the production of alkali blue at the BASF Corporation’s plant in Huntington, West Virginia.
The merged business will be headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. The takeover of ANI as well as the subsequent merger of the two corporations are subject to regulatory approval.
BASF Printing Systems was founded in 1997 and has always been largely stand-alone within the BASF Group. In the course of recent years, in particular, printing plate technology has increasingly diverged from the chemicals business.
Dr. Christian Wildmoser, managing director of CVC, commented: ‘We are making a decisive contribution to consolidation in a fragmented industry by merging BASF Printing Systems and ANI. As a result of the acquisition, BASF Printing Systems will become a core business and the merger with ANI will ensure that in the future a leading printing systems business will not only be able to maintain its market position, but expand it further.’
Dr. Wolfgang Bchele, director of BASF’s Performance Chemicals division, and also in charge of the BASF Printing Systems business states: ‘The entire European industry is currently in a state of upheaval, making it necessary to give the business a more strongly global thrust. By spinning the printing business off, we are endeavoring to give it new prospects to further expand its activities world-wide.’
Dr. Michael Stumpp, head of BASF Printing Systems, commented: ‘Our position will be strengthened in a highly competitive market and we will be better able to exploit the opportunities that arise in an increasingly globalised market.’
For ANI Printing Inks, the merger is in line with the consolidation plan it announced at the end of 2001 in the context of the management buyout from the Akzo Nobel group. Peter Koivula, CEO of ANI, comments: ‘Through this combination of two well known ink suppliers we not only create a leading European company that can service the demanding expectations of our customers, but also a global supplier of complete printing system solutions.’