Barco, Purup-Eskofot Merge

Barco Graphics of Belgium and Purup-Eskofot of Denmark have agreed to merge into a single combined company with billings of more than $227 million. The merged product lines of the new firm, called BPE for the moment (a final name is to be released early next year), reportedly will create the broadest computer-to-plate offering in the world.

Kirkbi A/S, parent company of Purup-Eskofot, is to own 51% of the combined company while Barco will own 49%. The new head office will be located in Ghent, Belgium; hardware and software product development will be conducted at sites in Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, and the U.S.