The company said the deal, which was completed yesterday (11 November), is “in line with its strategic goal of further consolidating its technology and market leadership in the global gravure printing market”.

Based in San Giorgio Monferrato, Bobst Italia is Swiss group Bobst’s worldwide centre of excellence for gravure printing, laminating, and coating technologies for the flexible packaging industry.

Gruppo Cerutti was founded in 1920 in Casale Monferrato, in north west Italy, and specialised in the manufacture of gravure printing presses for packaging, publishing, and specialty printing and converting equipment.

Through the deal, the Bobst group has acquired Cerutti’s brand, intellectual property rights, and all of the company’s intangible assets. 30 Cerutti staff will join Bobst Italia’s team at the site in San Giorgio Monferrato.

“We are very pleased that the proceedings have finally come to a completion, ending a period of uncertainty for the Cerutti stakeholders locally and worldwide,” said Bobst Italia general manager and head of gravure, vacuum, coating, and laminating product lines Davide Garavaglia.

“As a company, Bobst Italia is characterised by financial and social sustainability and, as such, is able to create value in the long term.

“Following the completion, we will be able to integrate into our organisation the Cerutti technology along with its technical experts adding to our existing know-how and capabilities. It also means that we can now provide Bobst’s high level of service and support to Cerutti machines installed worldwide.”

Bobst employs more than 5,600 people globally. In 2020 the group’s sales were CHF1.372bn (£1.11bn), with an operating profit of CHF44m and net result of CHF17m compared with CHF53m in 2019.