Xaar CEO John Mills.
Xaar has completed the acquisition of print systems and printbar specialist FFEI Limited. The deal will accelerate the company’s existing growth strategy and will enable Xaar to capture additional opportunities in vertically integrated solutions.
Xaar has a tie-up with Toronto-based Maplejet, leading coding and marking solutions company.
FFEI is a leading integrator and manufacturer of industrial digital inkjet systems and digital life science technology with many years of experience in managing technical integration and engineering projects. Its highly innovative and advanced imaging solutions and printbar manufacturing have enabled the business to establish several joint ventures with world leading organisations in both digital inkjet and life sciences.
The addition of FFEI strengthens Xaar’s capabilities and skills and will help to provide a more comprehensive solution for its growing number of OEM and UDI (User Developer Integrator) customers.
Xaar CEO John Mills said: “Having restructured and stabilised our core printhead business, the acquisition of FFEI will accelerate our strategy and expand our customer offering in a range of markets. As well as providing a number of ready-made solutions, the acquisition will further enhance Xaar’s world class expertise.
FFEI CEO Andy Cook commented: “We are delighted to become part of Xaar which represents a fantastic opportunity for the business to develop and grow. Xaar has been a long-term market leader with great technology and great people and is a perfect fit for the business.”
Xaar ties up with additive research firm
Xaar said the reliability and performance of its printheads are proving key for cutting edge jetting provider, Meta Additive, as they revolutionize additive manufacturing in volume metal and ceramic 3D printing (M3DP).
The collaborative approach between both businesses began in 2020, after Meta Additive had experienced difficulties sourcing printheads with sufficient capability to deliver the performance they required. Following a meeting with Xaar and Meta Additive’s CTO, Kate Black, despite lockdown conditions, a Xaar 1003 printhead had been selected and supplied in under 4 weeks, and the application was up and running immediately.
“After initially finding it impossible to gain access to a sufficiently capable printhead, the arrival of Xaar’s 1003 product, with its unique technologies and ability to handle a wide range of fluids, was a game-changer for our development process,” said Kate Black.
The award of a £1.2M Innovate UK SMART grant will build on this development as Meta Additive and Xaar work with The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) and Epivalence, to achieve metal 3D-printing of multi-materials at scale.
