UV specialist continuing to expand
An overview of the company group IST METZ:
The company group IST METZ develops, manufactures and markets machines for curing and drying solvent-free inks, varnishes and silicons in an environmentally friendly process. The main field of business lies with the graphics industry, however there are also UV systems from IST METZ in operation in the automobile industry and in many other industrial applications.
The company group with its head office in Nuertingen (near Stuttgart) comprises of eleven companies and has approximately 430 employees world-wide. The group turnover in 2003 totalled 65 million Euro. IST METZ has international subsidiaries in France, England, Italy und the USA as well as in the Netherlands. As from July 2004 the Iberian peninsula will also be serviced with its own subsidiary. To this end the UV-IST Iberica SL will be founded in Barcelona. The IST company group will thus extend to comprise twelve companies. Since March 2003 there has been a representation in Shanghai with IST METZ China. A total network of 56 commercial agencies ensures that the company group is represented in more than 70 countries.
All the essential components of a UV installation are developed and manufactured within the company group. This also includes the reflectors which indeed have a fundamental influence on the quality of a UV system. Their geometry and surface properties esentially determine how much UV light is utilizable for curing the substrate. The purchase of the majority of the shares of VTD Vakuumtechnik Dresden GmbH in November 2003 has allowed IST METZ Holding GmbH to enlarge their know-how and capacity in this key technology.
The takeover fits in neatly with the slogan "More than UV" which IST METZ adopted in 2002. A further essential element in this corporate orientation is the UV Transfer Center (UVTC). The purpose of this utility is the promotion, support and process development of applications for reactive systems cured by UV light. One of the strengths of this young business unit is the combination of know-how in core technologies such as printing and chemistry and the ability to put it into practice. For this purpose the UVTC has a UV Technology Center at its disposal equipped with the necessary printing and laboratory equipment. Thus IST METZ can support their customers in all questions concerning UV technology.
