EFI has announced that it has acquired Rialco Limited, one of Europe’s leading suppliers of dye powders and color products for digital print and industrial manufacturing industries. Based in Bradford, UK, Rialco will now operate as part of EFI’s industrial inkjet business, and will continue to work closely with and support its existing clients as well as expand and grow its capabilities with new products and new customers. EFI plans to improve its inkjet portfolio with Rialco’s advanced ink component capabilities.

The dye-sublimation ink market Rialco serves is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the global ink industry, with new research from Smithers Pira forecasting 18.4% year-over-year growth in dye-sublimated material print volumes through 2021, and a greater than 100% increase in volume and value of dye-sublimated printed material in that same time frame.

Financial terms of EFI’s acquisition of Rialco were not disclosed, but the deal is not expected to be material to EFI’s Q1 or full-year 2016 financial results.

“The deal announced today gives EFI the platform to extend the technical advantages we provide to customers in the signage, textile, ceramics and other industries that are rapidly transitioning from analog to digital printing,” says Stephen Emery, vice president of EFI’s ink business.

Rialco employees have joined EFI and will continue to work from Rialco’s facility in Bradford.

“Being part of EFI gives Rialco an important opportunity to continue growing our offerings as part of a leading developer of advanced industrial ink products,” says Paul Davies, a Rialco co-founder and current director of EFI | Rialco. “Our team is looking forward to working with our colleagues across EFI to bring Rialco’s innovations to a broader range of customers and markets.”