Magnadata describes the acquisition of Norprint, which had gone into administration, as the latest stage in its strategy of developing into "one of the lead players in RFID technology", a thrust first announced in 2000 as part of an investment package supported by bankers Close Brothers Growth Capital. More recently it has invested a further £1.5m in r&d and a new RFID production line at Boston.
Norprint, whose sizeable label plant, also in Boston, produces over 6.7bn labels every year, employs 200 staff, and is among Europe's largest independent labelling system companies. It supplies labels, tags, tickets, systems, software and services to over 3,000 companies throughout Europe. Following official announcement of the company's sale on February 10, Magnadata said Norprint's Boston site would continue trading "as normal".
Magnadata, which has produced tags for track and trace applications since its foundation in 1998, is among the world's largest transportation and ticketing product suppliers, operating from manufacturing and sales sites in Boston, England, Paris, Sydney and New York. The £35m turnover firm's blue chip clients include New York Metro, Sydney Rail Authority, Royal Mail, TNT, Manchester City Football Club and the Ryder Cup.
Chris Powell, marketing director, explains: "There are natural synergies between the two businesses. Magnadata has particular RFID and labelling expertise in ticketing and transport, whereas Norprint's RFID focus has generally been more in the retail sector, a factor that should enable us to considerably expand our RFID activities into new spheres."
