Fort Dearborn sells UK operation

Fort Dearborn Company, the Chicago based label producer, has sold its UK business to re-focus on its core North America label market. However, the companies will continue to have a working strategic relationship.
The UK business has been sold to its former owner, Albert Dass, who has taken over as chairman, working with the existing management team. The company has changed its name to Springfield Solutions, effective immediately.
‘This is an exciting opportunity to build on our traditional strengths in the UK and Europe,’ stated Albert Dass. ‘We have had an excellent relationship with Fort Dearborn Company and respect their decision to re-focus on the North American market. Our strengths in the UK are in two key areas - repro and graphics management, plus niche print markets for high quality, lower volume, self-adhesive labels.’
The Springfield Group was acquired by Fort Dearborn Company in 1999. At that time it was predominantly a speciality reprographics operation which managed color critical print using a proprietary 6-color process it called HiColour. This was a good fit with Fort Dearborn’s own repro operation, Virtualcolour, and opened up the opportunity to provide global services to some mutual customers. At the time, FDC also recognised the opportunity to develop the print operation in the UK as a potential first step in having a more substantial print presence in Europe.
However, changing market and trading conditions subsequently led to a change in strategy for FDC to focus on its home market and strengths; it is one of the United States’ largest label printers. FDC subsequently sold its US repro business to Schawk in 2004 and divested itself of overseas operations of which FDC UK was the last remaining.
Mutually acceptable terms have been agreed in a confidential deal between the parties. Apart from some minor restructuring the UK company will build on its traditional strengths. The deal includes licences for HiColour - a 6-colour hi-fidelity repro and print process - and software solutions for asset management and job tracking.
The two organisations will retain a strong working strategic relationship in order to serve their global customers as appropriate, especially in the areas of consistent brand management of labels, packaging and digital solutions. However, the UK operation will be financially independent and will be able to develop its own strategy more suited to its current strengths in the UK and European market.