Harland Machine Systems has now been rebranded as Accraply Harland.

Accraply, which is a subsidiary of $2.4bn (£1.8bn) turnover international manufacturing group Barry Wehmiller, signed the deal with Harland’s administrators FRP Advisory shortly after it appointed partners Russell Cash and Rajnesh Mittal as joint administrators on 26 July.

It already has a presence in the UK, having acquired Graham Engineering in 2010 and Turpins Packaging Group in 2012. 

Accraply sales and marketing vice-president Andrew Hulse said: “Accraply has been building its presence in the UK over the last decade and it’s one of the things we are continually looking to build.

“We find that the UK and Europe in general are good markets for labelling equipment. I think the businesses combined, considering Harland’s strength in self-adhesive labelling technology, will become a very strong presence for the self-adhesive industry.”

Hulse said that a number of Accraply’s representatives, including its president Seamus Lafferty, are currently in the UK finalising the terms of the deal, and added that the business already knows the UK markets due to its previous UK acquisitions.

“We have a permanent presence in the UK already from the original Graham and Turpins acquisitions,” he said.

“But they are using different technologies, those businesses are in the shrink-sleeve markets and that really strengthens our position both geographically in Europe as well as in the shrink-sleeve market in general. In self-adhesives though, this is new for us."

Lafferty said the acquisition of Harland complements Accraply’s existing self-adhesive label business and that Harland will bring “experience, passion and a determination to deliver exceptional performance”.

Harland, based in Salford, manufactures labelling equipment for use on high-volume production lines.

With a turnover last year of £12m, it operates in the pharmaceutical, hygiene and food sectors.