EskoArtwork purchases digital-diecutter maker Mikkelsen Graphic Engineering

-- Converting Magazine, 6/19/2008

EskoArtwork (www.esko.com) of Ghent, Belgium, signs a letter of intent June 12 to purchase Mikkelsen Graphic Engineering (www.mge-us.com), Lake Geneva, WI. The deal is expected to close next month.

MGE is the developer of the patented i-cut® vision system. Its i-script™ workflow has reportedly become the international standard through its integration into the RIPs of all major digital-flatbed presses. MGE also is EskoArtwork's distributor for the Kongsberg i-XL and i-XE digital-converting tables.

“EskoArtwork and MGE started their close cooperation in 2004 with the integration of MGE's i-cut vision system onto our Kongsberg digital converting tables,” says Carsten Knudsen, president/CEO of EskoArtwork. “The resulting i-XL and & i-XE digital-finishing systems have seen great success in the market, with today over 350 such systems installed and operating worldwide.”

“It's not just accurate cutting anymore that drives profitability, it's the addition of workflow capabilities that increases the competitiveness of our user base,” adds Steen Mikkelsen, owner/president of MGE. “By fully aligning our development and distribution efforts with EskoArtwork's hardware and software technologies and global sales and support channels, we will be able to bring even more attractive and performance converting systems to the digital printing market."

MGE operations will be organized as a strategic business unit within the EskoArtwork structure under the leadership of Steen Mikkelsen.