Epson subsidiaries Robustelli and For.Tex to merge

IndPrint Print Solutions

Robustelli and For.Tex, located in the Como region of Italy, one of the world’s great textile printing centres, are core Epson subsidiaries in the direct to fabric (DTF) textile printing sector.

Robustelli develops and manufactures textile printers, whilst For.Tex engages primarily in textile ink sales and support.

Epson sees textile printing as one of the most promising growth areas for its printing solutions business. Growth will be fuelled by a shift from traditional plate based analogue printing to digital printing solutions. Epson sees substantial opportunity to leverage its inkjet technology to expand its business and is thus strengthening its textile printing product line mup and operations.

The merger of Robustelli and For.Tex will integrate management and position them to provide even better need based solutions for inkjet digital printers, consumables, and services. The merger is scheduled for completion by the end of 2020.

The global textile printing industry is being challenged to accommodate consumer preferences for unique designs with short production runs, provide quick product delivery, and maintain traditional value while reducing its environmental impact. Epson's inkjet solutions can increase user productivity while shrinking their environmental footprint. These solutions enable short run production, shorten lead times, reduce environmental impacts and help to solve other issues faced by the textile printing industry.

Guy Martin, sales development specialist, commercial and industrial at Epson UK, said: ‘The Robustelli and For.Tex merger represents the beginning of what we believe will be a sea change over time in terms of print on-demand in the textile sector. Post pandemic, fashion brands are going to need more efficient, lower volume and rapid turnaround textile printing solutions to meet both shareholder and customer demands for fashion that is less wasteful and harmful to the environment, of the highest quality and with an immediacy that off shore production simply can’t meet.

‘The merger puts the combined strengths of Epson, Robustelli and For.Tex at the forefront of the response to this manufacturing shift. The ability to digitally print, on-demand, in-house or locally, across multiple regions with total consistency and efficiency, means those textile manufacturers and brands who integrate Epson’s digital printing technology into their businesses, place themselves in a commanding position to take advantage of this shift and explore exciting new commercial opportunities in the process.’