Walstead, Europe’s largest independent commercial printing group, announces all conditions relating to the acquisition of NP Druck GmbH from NÖ Pressehaus, which was announced on 14 May 2018, have been met and the transaction completed on 29 June 2018.
Established in 1874, NP Druck is the third largest web offset printing business in Austria. Revenue in the financial year ended 31 December 2017 was €51.3 million. The company specialises in the production of low- to medium-run advertising flyers and leaflets, weekly and monthly magazines (over 300 titles printed), and catalogues and brochures, for more than 630 Austrian, German and Swiss customers in the retail, publishing and marketing agency sectors.
NP Druck employs 160 staff at a 17,520 sq.m. manufacturing facility in St. Pölten, Austria. The business operates four web offset printing presses consisting of a recently-installed 16pp Manroland Rotoman 65 capable of printing five colours plus varnishing, a 48pp Manroland Lithoman IV, a 16pp KBA Compact 65, and a 16pp Manroland Rotoman 70. Other equipment includes a KBA Rapida 5-colour sheet-fed press and an extensive range of post-press finishing including four perfect binding and stitching lines. In 2017 the business produced 14.4 billion A4 pages and processed 34,800 tonnes of paper.
NP Druck has been a pioneer in achieving excellence in environmental and production standards in Austria. In 2010 it was the first Austrian printing company to obtain the Österreichisches Umweltzeichen eco-label and in 2013 the first to be accredited with the EU eco-label for web offset and sheet fed printing. The company is also a ClimatePartner which enables customers to opt for neutral CO2 printing through carbon offset projects.
NP Druck will become part of Walstead’s CE division currently comprising Leykam Let’s Print which has two printing sites in Austria and one each in the Czech Republic and Slovenia. Michael Steinwidder, managing director of NP Druck, will remain with the company in an advisory capacity.
Mark Scanlon, chairman of Walstead, commented: “NP Druck has an excellent reputation for high quality print. It has an unequalled range of equipment to produce low- to mid-volume flyers and finished products which perfectly complements the high-volume capability of Leykam’s two production sites in Austria. This unique combination will enable these businesses to offer the widest range of print to our Austrian and German customers.”
Michael Steinwidder, managing director of NP Druck, commented: “I am delighted this transaction has closed and the company has been sold to Walstead. I have no doubt the long-term development of NP Druck will be greatly improved with it being part of Leykam Let’s Print.”
Gerhard Poppe, ceo of Leykam Let’s Print, commented: “The integration of NP Druck with Leykam will strengthen the long-term development of the business including its employees and supply partners. We are looking forward to providing an unequalled range of printing services to our Austrian and international customers.”