Inkjet printhead manufacturer Xaar has acquired US based Vivid Print Innovations for an undisclosed sum. VPI, which has designed printing solutions for the wide format, packaging, labelling, screen, offset, textiles, and flexo markets, will retain its name but become “The Applications Division of Xaar”.

It will also complement Xaar’s European Integration and Consulting Program, set up in 2002 with key industry partners, including SunJet, The Technology Partnership and Yminds, to support companies interested in integrating Xaar digital printing solutions into their existing operations. The program will continue to run alongside VPI’s innovations, offering customers a choice between in-house and external integration services.

Xaar chief executive Jan Fineman comments, “We have identified a gap in the digital printing market where there is currently a gulf between inkjet printhead manufacturers such as ourselves and brand owners who need a bespoke printer. There are few companies in between who can actually build these machines and we are the first printhead manufacturer to offer such a service ‘in-house’. Bringing the talents of VPI into Xaar will give us the ability to work with customers directly to develop tailored solutions.”

Xaar Tel: +44 (0)1223 423663 www.xaar.co.uk