Trelleborg to sell printing blanket business to Continental

Trelleborg, Sweden — Trelleborg Group has signed a deal to sell its printing blankets operations to Continental A.G., which plans to integrate it into its ContiTech business.

Terms of the deal, announced Nov. 11, were not disclosed, as reported by our sister publication Rubber News.

Trelleborg's printing solutions business is based in Lodi Vecchio, Italy, where the firm develops and manufactures printing blankets in polymer-coated fabrics. Printing blankets are used for all types of offset printing, as well as flexo and digital printing. The operation also includes a carrier sleeve product line for packaging flexo printing.

The Swedish firm has held the unit under its "assets held for sale," since the firm's December 2019 strategic review, which was tasked with evaluating various structural initiatives for a number of operations.

"This divestment marks our exit from the printing blanket market," Peter Nilsson, Trelleborg president and CEO, said in a statement. "The operation is global, holds a leading position and has developed well under Trelleborg's management. It is therefore gratifying that a new owner is taking over who can develop it further."

The business unit posted 2020 sales of about $130 million, with an operating margin in line with the Trelleborg Group last year, the firm said. It has about 640 employees worldwide.

Continental said the printing blankets business complements its surface solutions and printing technology portfolio and will enhance its presence with industrial customers. "Printing technology customers will also benefit from a broader global footprint," said Thomas Christensen, who is responsible for Conti's global printing solutions business.

Continental has almost 300 employees working in the printing technology field, under its brands Conti-Air, Phoenix Xtra Blankets for sheet-fed and web printing, and Conti Laserline for flexo printing plates for direct engraving.

Completion of the transaction is subject to the approval of the relevant authorities.

Trelleborg also said this completes the actions taken under its strategic review. Since then, Nilsson said the firm has divested companies with a combined total of more than $370 million. "We are now fully focused on continuing to develop the Group and our well-performing and well-positioned business areas," he said.