On January 5, EFI (Electronics for Imaging) announced that they had completed the sale of its eProductivity Software (EPS) packaging and print productivity software business to an affiliate of Symphony Technology Group (STG). STG is a private-equity partner to market-leading companies in data, software, and analytics.
EPS will become an independent global software company, offering mission-critical Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), business, and production software for the packaging and print industries. STG’s backing will accelerate EPS’ growth as a standalone company through organic and inorganic initiatives to deepen and broaden the company’s capabilities.
“This strategic step in becoming an independent company enables us to bring greater value to our customers, as well as the packaging and print industries overall, by extending our collaboration with key industry technology players,” said Gabriel (Gaby) Matsliach, CEO of eProductivity Software. “We will continue to collaborate closely with our friends at EFI.”
EPS has more than 4,000 mid-market and enterprise customers globally. Products include MIS, ERP, e-commerce, and business intelligence solutions to improve efficiency in companies that produce corrugated packaging, labels, flexible packaging, folding cartons, commercial print, direct mail, and displays.
EFI will prioritize technology investments in its Inkjet and Fiery business units to accelerate growth in its fast-growing industrial EFI™ Inkjet business. EFI plans to capitalize on the growth opportunities available in segments the company already serves and drive expansion into markets that are beginning the transformation toward digital.
“We have never been more excited about the opportunity in the industrial inkjet markets and our ability to leverage Fiery, the leading Digital Front End (DFE) technology for digital color printing, to continue to drive the analog-to-digital transformation in all high-value segments of imaging,” said Jeff Jacobson, EFI’s CEO and Executive Chairman. “We are making significant investments to continue to be the clear leader in the Packaging & Corrugated, Display Graphics, Textile, and Building Materials/Decor markets.” He said EFI will increasingly serve new adjacencies including e-commerce, direct-to-garment, and other rapidly growing segments.
“Industrial inkjet imaging is one of the greatest opportunities I have seen in my 35 years in this industry,” Jacobson added. “The sale of the software business provides our industrial inkjet and Fiery teams the focus that will best position them for success.”
Industrial Inkjet: Unprecedented Opportunity
The industrial inkjet space is ripe with opportunity in existing and adjacent vertical markets.
EFI Inkjet will continue to develop shuttle and single-pass inkjet technology. The division will leverage its expertise in hardware, mechanical control software, high-speed electronics, services, cloud-connected devices, and ink innovations to deliver the next generation of versatile, high-volume, superior-quality printers and presses.
“The future of print is digital, and this realignment further solidifies EFI’s technology leadership position and accelerates growing our innovation edge as a provider of the world’s leading digital printers for the Packaging & Corrugated, Display Graphics, Textile, and Building Materials/Decor markets,” said Scott Schinlever, Chief Operating Officer and General Manager, EFI Inkjet. “This sets the stage for our customers to continue to produce more in less time, with less labor, at higher quality, with a reduced environmental impact, and will allow us to drive our level of inkjet knowledge and expertise into promising new market applications.”
Fiery: Driving Digital Print Innovation and Growth
The Fiery business unit, under the continued leadership of Fiery Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Toby Weiss, remains as the world’s premier provider of digital front ends (DFEs).
Digital front ends process the huge volumes of data required by applications such as superwide graphics, high-speed package printing, and variable-data commercial print. Advanced Fiery solutions drive high-end printers and presses from many major equipment manufacturers.
“The Fiery portfolio of products incorporates world-class color algorithms, advanced cloud technology, and many other best-in-class proprietary solutions that reduce production time and increase print quality,” said Weiss. “Working in close consultation with our partners, the investments we are making in the future of Fiery technology will foster even stronger solutions – including leading-edge cloud offerings through an EFI IQ™ suite of products that continues to help customers achieve new levels of automation, accuracy and profit potential in digital printing.”
About EFI
EFI™ is a global technology company, based in Silicon Valley. To lead the worldwide transformation from analog to digital imaging, EFI develops breakthrough technologies for the manufacturing of signage, packaging, textiles, ceramic tiles, building materials and personalized documents, with a wide range of printers, inks, and digital front ends. (www.efi.com)
About eProductivity Software
With headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, eProductivity Software is a global provider of industry-specific business and production software technology for the packaging and print industries. The company’s integrated and automated software offerings and point solutions are designed to enable revenue growth and drive operating and production efficiencies. (www.eProductivitySoftware.com)
About STG
Symphony Technology Group (STG) in Menlo Park, California is a private equity partner to market leading companies in data, software, and analytics. The firm brings expertise, flexibility, and resources to build strategic value and unlock the potential of innovative companies. Partnering to build customer-centric, market leading portfolio companies, STG seeks to create sustainable foundations for growth that bring value to the companies with which it partners. STG’s expansive portfolio has consisted of more than 35 global companies. (www.stgpartners.com)