The supplier of wide-format print media for the digital graphics and CAD markets took over the role after the bulk of Paperlinx's UK operations were put into administration. Paperlinx was formerly a reseller for Inktec, the Korean manufacturer of Jetrix machines.
Papergraphics has also taken on six members of the Paperlinx UK digital solutions team. Ian Cochrane, Kevin Stallibrass, Roger Loomes, Sandra Wright, Sam Wilsher and James Argent have joined the Papergraphics’ 100 or so staff in Gatwick. The company reported a £14.6m turnover in its latest filed accounts.
Head of sales Alistair Travis said moving into hardware sales had “been on the shopping list for a while”.
“However it was only going to happen through acquisition or some other piece of fate. We were unable to get a team of professionals together. This was a piece of fate; it happened quite quickly," he said.
Travis added that the company had been “something of an anomaly” as a “fairly big player” in print media sales but not involved in hardware or software. Papergraphics, he said, was ideally placed to provide hardware and software solutions to existing clients and boost sales across all business sectors.
“We’ve already started getting enquiries. With the right team in place and the right timetable a lot of people will buy from us; they already have a relationship with us. It will complement how we sell our consumables.
“We’re very well positioned to do very well with it. It will cause a little bit of a stir in the marketplace.”
In a statement Inktec said the move followed “significant negotiations between Inktec and Papergraphics over the last few weeks”.
Papergraphics managing director Nathan Atkins said his company saw “great value in the technical ability and passion for the industry" in the former Paperlinx employees.
“We’re also looking forward to expanding our skills set at Papergraphics. For over 30 years, we’ve operated across UK and Ireland without any real involvement in the hardware or software side of the business.”
Inktec Europe managing director Joey Kim said: “Although there has been an interest previously in venturing into the digital printer hardware arena, the Paperlinx situation has formed the catalyst for accelerating these negotiations, particularly with Papergraphics taking on a proportion of the Paperlinx team who already know Jetrix
“Jetrix sales in the UK at the moment are about £2.5m per year and this new partnership is definitely seen as an opportunity to grow moving forwards, with positive conversations already happening as a result of this announcement.”
InkTec launched the Jetrix series of UV printers in 2008 and won the ‘Best Specialist Printing Solution’ award at Drupa in 2012. In January it launched its first superwide device, the 3.2m UV roll-to-roll Jetrix RX3200.
The other UK Jetrix resellers are Atech, Mayday and Perfect Colours.
