The company signed a letter of intent yesterday (2 July) and is embarking upon due diligence.

It plans to integrate the department, which employs 15 staff, with Xeikon Internationals front-end group.

Punch said the move would also enable faster growth of Punchs digital front-end activities, also beyond Xeikon printing systems.

The Esko-Graphics wing (formerly part of Barco) developed the powerful and sophisticated PrintStreamer front-end for Xeikon digital presses. PrintStreamer was then effectively sidelined after Xeikon focused on Agfas IntelliStream frontend, which it acquired along with Agfas digital printing division in 2000. But PrintStreamer was very popular with users and is still widely used in the field for variable data applications.

People like PrintStreamer and there are heavy duty workflows for variable data that work better with it, said marketing communications manager Jef Stoffels.

Earlier this week, Xeikon announced that it was setting up its own office in the UK that would also take on MAN Roland GBs DICOpress and DICOpack business. See Xeikon unveils UK sales wing