James Cropper targets luxury market at Edition Spéciale
James Cropper will deploy its unified brand strategy and global partnerships at Paris’s Edition Spéciale later this month, aiming to capture European luxury packaging market share
The company has signed a binding agreement to acquire the assets of Xerox’s EMEA paper business
Antalis, a distributor of papers, packaging, and visual communications, has announced it has acquired the EMEA Xerox paper business which distributes office paper and digital printing products in more than 40 countries.
The deal includes exclusive marketing and distribution rights of Xerox-branded paper and digital printing media in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Middle East, India, and Africa.
Over the past year Antalis has continued to expand its portfolio, with several acquisitions of European brands including the acquisition of 100 metros in Portugal and the reintroduction of Keaykolour, which was previously owned by Arjowiggins.
The deal means that Antalis is the sole distributor of Xerox-branded paper in EMEA following the 2013 acquisition of the Xerox Western Europe paper business. Currently the deal is subject to other customary closing conditions and competition approval in some countries.
The acquisition means Antalis can strengthen its position in the office paper market as well as the “fast-growing” digital printing market.
Hervé Poncin, chief executive officer of Antalis, says: "While our strategy remains to develop in fast-growing countries and high-potential markets such as packaging, we have always affirmed the need to participate in the consolidation of the papers distribution business.
“It is essential for us to maintain strong positions in our markets and to improve the profitability of our office paper activities."
At the beginning of the year Xerox announced a new operating model and organisational structure to further the company’s “reinvention”. This restructure included the realignment of its executive team as well as new priorities and intended outcomes in its core print business, global business services, IT, and digital services.
“As Xerox continues its reinvention, this transaction allows the company to align its resources with the needs of today’s economic buyers and focus its efforts towards bringing the most innovative services and solutions to its clients,” says David Dyas, president for Global Distribution at Xerox.
Dyas adds: “We thank our dedicated Xerox employees for their commitment and hard work over the years and look forward to following their continued success.”
