Epson subsidiaries Robustelli and For.Tex are merging as the company looks to take advantage of expected growth in the textile printing market. Robustelli develops and manufactures textile printers while For.Tex engages primarily in textile ink sales and support.
Epson sees textile printing as one of print’s most promising growth areas, and predicts that growth will be fuelled by a shift toward digital printing. The company plans to leverage its inkjet technology to take advantage of this and is therefore strengthening its textile printing product lineup and operations. The merger of Robustelli and For.Tex, both based in Como, Italy, will allow them to provide better need-based solutions for inkjet digital printers, consumables, and services.
‘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,’ explained Guy Martin, sales development specialist, commercial & industrial at Epson UK. ‘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.’
