Sawgrass Industrial, maker of sublimation and water-based pigment inks, is joining other digital ink specialists Kiian Digital and J-Teck3 as part of the JK Group. A binding agreement has been signed and the transaction is expected to complete by the end of July. Sawgrass Technologies will continue to operate as an independent company serving the needs of digital printing applications on printers less than 42in addressing non-industrial customer needs.
Sawgrass founder and CEO Nathan Hale said of the move: “Now that digital mass production is a reality for printing onto textiles, this is a perfect time to form a strong alliance to deliver on what was just a dream.”
JK Group president, Dennis Wilby, said: “Following the combination of Kiian Digital and J-Teck3 last year, the addition of Sawgrass Industrial takes the JK Group into a global leadership position in the digital sublimation sector and at the forefront of the textile pigment inks market development.” CEO Alberto De Matthaeis, added: “We believe that the synergies of working together will add significant value to the three brands while retaining their independence with separate sales, customer service and product development.”
The CEO of Sawgrass Europe SA, Dr. Mickael Mheidle, who led the start up in Basel, Switzerland, in 2006 and the Sawgrass Industrial Division since 2009, will continue to manage the commercial efforts of the Sawgrass Industrial brands in Europe. He said: “I am glad to become partner of the JK Group which will significantly increase the market potential of our brand. We will continue to deliver the same outstanding products and technical services to our customers on a platform of increased investment and strategic focus.”