Dainippon Screen Acquires Inca Digital Printers

Inca Digital Printers has been acquired by Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co. of Japan. Inca Digital becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of the company, which Inca will continue to operate from its existing headquarters in Cambridge, UK. There will be no change to the current management team or staff, the two companies report.

“As a firm backed by venture capital, we have been looking for the right company with which to partner. Dainippon Screen is a great parent for us,” says Bill Baxter, Inca Digital's managing partner. “There is a real synergy between us, and the acquisition will enable us to develop profitable applications in totally new areas. Screen fully supports our development and commercial strategies and our commitment to existing partnerships, and together we will continue to strengthen these agreements in the future.”
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“This is a highly strategic investment for us,” says Akira Ishida, chairman and president of Dainippon Screen. “The impact of digital inkjet technologies on the conventional print market is accelerating, and Inca's technology complements our existing digital imaging and printing products perfectly. Significantly, Inca's expertise gives us access to important new markets in industrial printing and packaging. By combining Inca's expertise in wide-format industries with Screen's considerable experience in the media technology, semi-conductor, and flat-panel display industries, we can further strengthen and grow Inca and Dainippon Screen's businesses”?”
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The acquisition will not change the distribution pact that Inca has with Sericol in North America, says Baxter: “Screen is 100% behind our current relationships, so the acquisition will not change things in any way. However, that is not to say that things won't change. We are still working with Sericol to improve the sales and service we provide in North America”?we have recently set up Inca Inc. in Kansas City, with a small support team serving as back-up and mentoring for our service provider. Over time, we will be growing and broadening this in cooperation with Sericol. If we can now draw on any Screen infrastructure to help out, so much the better, but it will be done through the current relationship.”
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Approximately 20% of Dainippon Screen's net revenues are derived from sales of its graphic-arts products– prepress equipment, digital presses, fonts, maintenance and repair services. The remaining company revenues are from electronic equipment and components, including semiconductor production equipment.

The company's graphic-arts products include the Trueflow PDF-based workflow management solution, Cezanne desktop flatbed scanners, Katana and Tanto imagesetters, PlateRite series platesetters and TruePress digital printing systems. Dainippon Screen's Screen Media Technology division has two offices in the US: Screen USA in Rolling Meadow, IL; and Dainippon Screen Engineering of America (which performs systems integration for Screen's graphic-arts product line) in Irvine, CA. (Screen USA: www.screenusa.com, Inca Digital Printers: www.incadigital.com)