Flint Ink will be no.3 in Europe after purchase

Flint Ink has continued the consolidation in the ink market with a merger and acquisition agreement with German ink manufacturer Gebrder Schmidt.

Flint Ink will become Europes third largest ink manufacturer, since it made the strategic decision to develop business beyond the North American market with its 1997 acquisition of Manders-Premier.

The merger is expected to be completed by the end of next month and will create Flint-Schmidt Europe, with sales of about 275m.

Flint Ink Europe president Jim Mahoney will become Flint-Schmidt chief executive officer, while Gebrder Schmidt managing director Helmut Schmidt will become the new companys chief operating officer.

Mahoney said: "This agreement gives us strong access into the German market."