The two companies are located just three miles apart in the High Peak. A4 Laser Labels is in New Mills and Interket is in Whaley Bridge.
A4 Laser Labels has acquired Interket’s ‘UK Stationery/Office Products’ business segment, which encompasses A5, A4 and A3 sheeted labels.
The business was non-core to Interket, which is focused on growing its range of bespoke label offerings including on-roll plain, printed flexo and digital labels, and printed sheeted labels.
Nine staff and the related equipment, including printing presses, box making and packing machines have transferred as part of the deal, which was finalised at the beginning of the month.
There is a long association between the two firms, with A4 Laser Labels chairman Laurence Bloom and the firm’s directors all previously working at Stampiton Group, which became Interket, in the past. Bloom was the co-founder of Stampiton.
A4 Laser Labels managing director Stephen Plant commented: “I saw the obvious synergy between our two companies and with the expertise of our chairman, Laurence Bloom, we seized the opportunity. They were willing sellers and we were willing buyers”.
The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The firm said that it expected significant growth in the use of self-adhesive labels in the coming years due to increased demand across a variety of markets, including food and beverage, pharmaceutical and e-commerce.
A4’s product range includes sheet, fanfold, continuous and security labels.
It operates from a 1,210sqm factory with an additional 280sqm warehouse and runs a wide range of equipment including Mark Andy flexo presses, Flexor converters, KDO presses, die-cutters and hot foiling devices.
The acquisition takes the number of employees up to 25, and turnover – while not disclosed – is set to double.
Plant said the firm had ambitions for further expansion in the future, and stated: “We are not waiting for the future of A4 Laser Labels, we’re busy building it!”
Interket Group CEO Carl Parkander said the sale reflected the group’s ongoing strategy to focus on growth through its core product range: “We have previously exited this segment in other countries with positive results and have evaluated different options in the UK.
“When the opportunity to sell this part of the business to A4 Laser Labels arose it was an easy decision as their production site is located only three miles from ours. We are also happy to announce that all nine employees within this department have chosen to follow on to the new owners.”
Image shows, left to right: Laurence Bloom, Stephen Plant, Interket UK managing director Tim Pattison, and Carl Parkander.
