One of the print industry’s biggest deals for 2024 sees Epson acquire Fiery, the world’s largest developer of RIP solutions, for $591 million. Fiery will continue to operate as an independent provider of workflow and digital front-end solutions for its OEM partners, guaranteeing the confidentiality of its customers’ data and product information.
Epson, a $13.75 billion company with over 75,000 employees, sees this acquisition as a unique opportunity to accelerate its expansion in digital printing. Fiery, for its part, is preparing for a ramp-up while maintaining its operational independence.
Siris, the owner of Fiery, acquired EFI (Electronics for Imaging) five years ago for $1.7 billion. Last year, Siris had already separated Fiery from EFI, a year after selling EFI’s software division to another private equity fund, Symphony Technology.
Fiery was founded in 1988 by Efi Arazi, an Israeli pioneer in printing technology. Arazi had previously founded Scitex in 1968, the country’s first technology company. RIP Fiery played a key role in introducing the major copier brands to the commercial digital color printing market, contributing to the collapse of the A3 offset press market in less than a decade.
The digital server systems developed by Fiery play an essential role in managing and optimizing production workflows. Their technology is ubiquitous among many manufacturers. Fiery has assured us that it will maintain a “strict confidentiality on partner data, roadmaps and product information, guaranteeing the continuity of trusted relationships with our customers.
By joining Epson, Fiery believes it is in a better position to develop and innovate further, while continuing to offer solutions that meet the needs of its customers “state-of-the-art to its customers. For Epson, the acquisition of Fiery represents access to a world leader in RIPs, as the company rapidly expands its digital print offering, now covering segments such as signage, labels, textiles, promotional printing and micro printing.
Yasunori Ogawa, President of Epson, said: “We are convinced that this agreement will not only promote the growth of our commercial and industrial printing business, but will also accelerate the digital transformation of the analog printing market in innovative ways.”
Epson believes that Fiery’s software and workflow solutions will perfectly complement its hardware strategy and leadership, driving growth across a wide range of printing devices and applications.
Author: Print Industry