Mercian Labels acquires chunk of Computype Europe

British converter Mercian Labels has acquired a portion of business from a US-based barcode specialist Computype, in line with its growth strategy, looking to expand its production and geographical reach.

Mercian Labels has acquired a portion of business from a British barcode specialist Computype Europe

The acquisition will see Computype handing over a selection of customers to Mercian Labels, as it re-strategizes to focus on core product lines for the European market.

 ‘As one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of self-adhesive labels, we are constantly looking for ways to expand in our areas of competence as well as geographically,’ said Adrian Steele, managing director of Mercian Labels. ‘The areas involved require critical specialist constructions of adhesives, inks, and substrates, and over our 50 years of growth, we have a developed a high level of technical expertise in them. 

‘Computype have nurtured its relationships in these areas over a number of years, and this deal represents a careful handover of valued customers to a trusted manufacturer as they look to strategically focus on fewer core markets. We have recently invested in state-of-the-art equipment to expand our world-class capabilities in high volumes of variable data and are pioneering development in intelligent industrial automation. We have a lot to offer customers like these.’

Sarah Richardson, chief commercial officer at Computype, added: ‘A recent strategic review of our business in Europe highlighted the need for us to refocus around our core markets, where we can really help our customers, innovate with new products and drive differentiation. For the remaining non-core product lines, we were excited to find a great partner in Mercian Labels, which has the capability and focus to service these customers moving forward. It was vital that we achieved a seamless transition and with the right people. We believe Mercian Labels will achieve the best possible outcome for all concerned.’