EFI has announced that it has completed a strategic investment in Jettable, an inkjet technology company specialising in digital printing onto ceramic substrates.
Based out of Netanya, Israel, Jettable's product portfolio will add to the ever-expanding suite of inkjet solutions offered by EFI, including the VUTEk (superwide inkjet for the display graphics market), and Jetrion (digital inkjet for the labels and packaging market) products, as well as investments in Kornit (textiles market) and Raster Printers (which compliments VUTEk by specializing in the midrange wide format space.)
Jettable, founded in 2003, offers a line of ceramic inks and unique ultra-fine ceramic pigments with distinct benefits that create a sustainable competitive advantage.
Building on the success of the VUTEk, inkjet continues to be the strategic high-growth engine for EFI. This new product offering reaffirms EFI's commitment into inkjet printing solutions, offering new market penetration for EFI's customer base into the architectural and design markets.
EFI will provide equity capital toward the development of the next generation high-speed, single pass production inkjet printer for ceramic tiles. Jettable is currently working with Kornit (another EFI investment) to offer a modified platform for the specialty tile decoration market.
The inherent characteristics of ceramic composition inks create the need for a specialized flatbed inkjet printer with color management tuned to the distinctive ceramic colors in order to generate the widest and most attractive color gamut. Jettable has designed a modified print engine capable of high-quality printing onto numerous types of porous and non-porous ceramic surfaces.
This breakthrough digital print technology will replace current methods of printing such as screen and roller printing with their high levels of waste inks and is designed for both short-run and in-line production. The main advantages of the Jettable ceramic decoration technology are variable run length and non-contact printing with the ability to handle uneven surfaces. "The introduction of digital printing enables new applications of color-rich ceramic tiles while providing a reduction in waste. This continues to support EFI's green initiative while providing lessened set-up costs. Our customer's will benefit duo fold," said Ghilad Dziesietnik, EFI's CTO.
"We are pleased that EFI has identified our breakthrough technology as a true asset to their best-in-class product offering. We are delighted to join forces with EFI, our vision for industry-leading digital inkjet technologies can now fully be realized," said, Warren Green, Director and Founder of Jettable.
The investment into Jettable and their breakthrough technologies displays EFI's continued commitment and dedication to the digital inkjet market and their mission to provide customers with a logical migration path from analog to digital throughout all market segments.
EFI
www.efi.com
