Mergers and acquisitions

John Watson & Co has been bought by Cincinnati, Ohio-based Multi-Color Corporation (MCC) less than a year after the collapse of its proposed sale to Canadian labels group CCL Industries.

Ilford Imaging Switzerland has announced a 40% reduction in its workforce following its sale via an MBO to chief executive Paul Willems and chief financial officer Jean-Marc Metrailler.

NGS Print Finishing, which merged with Purfect Binding Company (PBC) in July, has been placed into creditors' voluntary liquidation.

Pureprint has bought the assets and business of Annodata printing division, Abstract, after it fell into administration at the beginning of the month.

Packaging and wide-format software developer Esko has announced that it will complete the acquisition of US software firm Cape Systems by late September.

York Mailing has ended weeks of speculation and acquired The Lettershop Group in a deal signed last Friday (9 August).

Perivale-based NGS Finishing Solutions has taken over Purfect Binding Company (PBC) and moved into its Wembley site.

Speculation is mounting that York Mailing is close to confirming its first acquisition since securing 10m in new funding last month.

KBA has taken another step on its diversification path with the acquisition of an 85% stake in German direct-to-container decoration press manufacturer Kammann Maschinenbau.