Business combination between manroland web systems and GOSS International completed
Forward-looking merger enables global market presence, broad product range, technological excellence, long-term comprehensive customer support, and e-business in the web-fed printing market. Under this principle, manroland web systems and GOSS International have merged their businesses. The combined entity is called ‘manroland GOSS web systems’.
Manroland web systems and GOSS International or GOSS in short, both long-time leading web offset press manufacturers and service providers, have announced that they have completed their transaction to combine their businesses. The newly formed company operates under the brand name ‘manroland GOSS web systems’ and is emerging as the strongest supplier to web printing companies worldwide.
Alexander Wassermann, CEO of manroland web systems, has become CEO of the new company with global headquarters in Augsburg, Germany. The company’s North American headquarters will be in Durham, NH. Mohit Uberoi, previous CEO of GOSS International, will stay connected with the business as a board member and assist the management team with business integration.
The shareholders of manroland web systems and GOSS International, the Lübeckbased Possehl Group and NY-based American Industrial Partners (AIP) respectively, will both remain shareholders of the new company supporting the established business-building strategy. The Contiweb business as well as the manroland web production business are not included in this transaction and will stay independent as AIP and Possehl portfolio companies, respectively.
Strengthening global reach
The merger is for synergies, innovation, consistent customer orientation, and optimised services. In this respect Alexander Wassermann has clear plans, “Both manroland web systems and GOSS International were on a sustainable path to success. We will strengthen this path by increasing our global reach, continuing our innovative and focused R&D activities, and enhancing our market presence through targeted consolidation. Our customers will be able to choose from an even broader portfolio of products and services, supported by the industry leading e-commerce platform MARKET-X.”
Four focused areas
The new manroland GOSS web systems will concentrate on four main business areas: i) System Solutions (highly automated press and post-press equipment including pre-owned offerings, press relocations), ii) Engineered Solutions (mechanical, automation and closed-loop solutions for all types of presses), iii) Service Solutions (best-in-class service in parts, labor, tele-support and performance-based service agreements) and iv) E-Commerce Solutions (electronic marketplace for efficient ordering and logistics performance for all suppliers to the web offset industry).
The starting point for the merger is promising, with the new company relying on the combined expertise of its 1000 plus employees and its suppliers. Both manroland web systems and GOSS International will leverage their successful structural and technological developments gained over the recent years within new product development, expansive aftermarket product offerings and development of a lean business structure in line with overall market trends to build a strong business platform for the future.
‘Best of the Best’ approach
With its broad range of products and services, manroland GOSS web systems is gearing up to be the high performance partner for all web printers. The common goal of the new company is to support the performance of customers with a ‘Best of the Best’ approach. The new entity started working actively with all customers on a positive development of the web-fed printing business.