Chairman Tony Langley said the group was on the lookout for further complementary buys in his recent annual review.

Its printing chemistry business, DC DruckChemie, has acquired fellow German business WS Print.

WS Print lays claim to being the leading European manufacturer of silicone emulsions, silicone oils and fount solutions.

Its product range spans sheetfed, continuous, heatset and coldset printing and it also makes products that are specific to digital printing, such as coatings for pre- and post-print treatments.

The business is located near Nuremberg and was established in 1989. It has been owned by Contiweb since April 2022.

DC DruckChemie managing director Simon Wolf commented: “The success of our group is based on high-quality products, exceptional service and, above all, the commitment of our employees.

“This further acquisition strengthens our existing portfolio, and we look forward continuing to offer WS Print’s high standards of quality and customer service.”

The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The €313m (£259m) Print Technologies division also includes Belgian consumables manufacturers BluePrint and HiTech Chemicals, alongside press manufacturer Manroland Sheetfed.  

Family-owned Langley Holdings has overall sales of €1.2bn and no debt. The engineering and industrial manufacturing group celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

Tony Langley’s three children work at the group and his son Bernard Langley is chairman of the supervisory board of Manroland Sheetfed.

In a recent message to customers, Bernard Langley stated: “Langley’s perspective is long-term. We plan and manage our businesses not with the interests of absentee investors eager for short term returns, lenders who only concentrate on the security of their money or, private equity looking to sell the businesses they acquire in three-to-five years.

“Our perspective is intergenerational.”