Digital printing company EFI has announced it has acquired privately-held Cretaprint S.L. based in Castellón, Spain, a developer of inkjet printers for ceramic tile printing.

“As evidenced by our record revenues, we are benefitting from strong traction in our industrial inkjet segment and are excited about expanding into the ceramic tile market, which represents a tremendous growth opportunity for EFI,” says Guy Gecht, CEO of EFI. “We have been tracking the swift transformation from analog to digital technology in tile imaging for quite some time, and have been deeply impressed with the fast growth and global leadership position of Cretaprint.”

“We are extremely excited to join EFI and look forward to leveraging EFI’s Silicon Valley high-tech DNA, inkjet expertise, workflow, and color management,” adds Victor Blasco, CEO of Cretaprint. “EFI’s global presence will accelerate the adoption of our digital technology across the globe and especially in emerging markets.”

Industry analysts continue to project rapid growth in ceramic tile inkjet printing, as noted by Ray Work, Work Associates. “The tile industry is moving towards inkjet,” Work says. “The financial incentives are so great that the entire industry is converting rapidly to inkjet. The ceramic tile manufacturer can pay back their investment in an inkjet digital press for ceramic tiles in as little as six months.”

The Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) conducts annual membership surveys. Their 2011 Industrial Printing Survey Report indicates that over 75 percent of its members utilize digital printing and also consider ceramic tile printing to be a strong market opportunity.

EFI plans to strengthen Cretaprint’s operations in Spain, to further their expertise and innovation within the tile industry, and to grow their market presence. “As a pioneer in the digitization of the print industry, EFI is expanding into lucrative new markets. The ceramic tile industry can greatly benefit from our innovative portfolio of technologies,” says Ghilad Dziesietnik, chief technology officer of EFI. “We look forward to sharing our success with Cretaprint’s 1,700-plus global customer network and expanding their talented employee base in Castellón.”