Service Offset Supplies Ltd (SOS) has announced the acquisition of PrePress Services Ltd (PPS) with an effective transfer date of 31st March 2021. The move will mean all service and support contracts currently provided by PPS will be taken on by SOS from April 1st. The PPS premises at Greet, Gloucestershire will be retained by SOS and is expected to take on extra functions.
The PPS business provides a good fit for SOS, which has similar specialisms in CTP and prepress, and a tradition of quality service and support. A major consequence of the deal is that SOS now becomes UK dealer for the Swiss-made Lüscher Technologies AG (Lüscher) brand of specialist and large format platesetters. Lüscher has a versatile product range covering many types of plate output including thermal, waterless and conventional offset, flexo, small and rotary screens.
“We are pleased that SOS is taking over the operations from Prepress Services, which will secure a safe continuation of Lüscher service in the UK,” says Stefan Thulin, Lüscher’s Vice President Sales.
SOS already has a high profile as a supplier of CTP equipment. It is exclusive UK supplier for Cron, and also supplies CTP equipment from Screen. “The Lüscher CTP dealership is an exciting addition to our portfolio and we aim to maintain and grow the customer base in the UK,” says SOS Sales Director Mike Milfull.
He continues: “This acquisition is a perfect add on to our already successful service division. In addition, we look forward to introducing PPS customers to some of the extra services we offer including colour management, workflow and pre-press supplies.”
PPS Directors Bill Hamilton and Ralph Sheridan are retiring, while fellow director David Binnie will take his expertise to SOS. “We welcome on board David Binnie who will bring a huge wealth of knowledge and expertise into SOS,” says Mike Milfull. “Also, we wish Bill and Ralph a successful and fulfilling retirement and say farewell to two hugely respected figures from our industry.”
This is the second time SOS has expanded by acquisition in recent years, having purchased Apex Digital Graphics in 2018. In almost 50 years trading SOS has become one of the foremost suppliers to the UK printing industry – it offers a wide range of day-to-day offset supplies and an impressive portfolio of capital equipment from manufacturers including Cron, Epson, Roland DG, Konica Minolta, Screen, Yotta and more.
