Esko, a global developer of integrated hardware and software solutions for the print, packaging and label industries, and AVT Inspection Systems Inc. (‘AVT’), global provider of print inspection, process control and quality assurance solutions, have announced the integration of their businesses.

Effective immediately, the integration is designed to deliver simplicity and extended connectivity for both Esko and AVT customers by incorporating automated quality inspection into the connected packaging and labeling value chains.

Sharing many of the same customers around the world, the combined business will see expansion of its sales and technical service teams with enhanced local representation, ensuring customers and OEM partners receive the same level of customer service and technical excellence they have come to expect from both companies.

Mattias Byström, President, Packaging & Color Businesses at Danaher (Pantone, Esko & X-Rite), comments, “We are on a mission to build trust in packaging for the long term. This means we are focused on continuously improving the specification, measurement and communication between parties across the global packaging value chain. By removing the organizational barriers between AVT and Esko, we are expediting this vision.”

The aim of the new organization is for customers to communicate and measure print quality and color, from end to end on a global basis, delivering easier, faster, and more accurate right first time production to boost operational performance and ultimately customer satisfaction.

Roy Porat, president of AVT, added: “Above all, this integration will absolutely deliver simplicity. It will be easier for printers to measure print quality and color, easier for operators to hit quality and color targets, easier for teams to track and share quality and color data, and easier for business leaders to buy and implement these solutions. Bringing our combined strengths together to deliver a complete solution is an exciting opportunity for our customers and our business.”

Esko and AVT have already released AutoSet, a digital link between Automation Engine, the Esko packaging prepress workflow server, and the AVT 100% print inspection solutions. Enabling Automation Engine to setup AVT inspection systems on conventional and digital presses, as well as on rewinders in an automated way, the development forged the path for the two businesses to work more closely together.

AVT was acquired by Danaher, the Esko parent company, in 2017 to support its vision of digitizing the packaging value chain. Mattias Byström expanded his leadership role from Esko President to include oversight of AVT in August 2019. This latest strategic move is the formalization of the strategy to create a combined position to better serve brands and their print and packaging supply chain partners with comprehensive hardware and software solutions.