Digital BW, The Print

You heard it here first!

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/1310AP_Eichhof_Amazys.html

If this is true, talk about industry synergy!  That  would merge two 
Swiss companies, one considered the grand dame of color profiling: 
Gretag-Macbeth, with the other which has become a market leader through 
affordably priced hardware and software (manufactured in Asia). To my 
mind, it's a much more natural fit than X-Rite and Gretag-Macbeth and 
would create real industry dominance in drawing from the engineering, 
production, marketing, and market segment strengths of both firms. An 
X-Rite/Gretag deal instead, would, in my mind simply merge two firms 
with strengths in the very same market segments - those kind of mergers 
rarely show benefits beyond scale/cost and result in more job loss 
through elimination of redundancies than would a Colorvision/Gretag 
merger. It would not


-- 
Keith

 
Keith Krebs

"Just some guy," caretaker of the Multiverse's largest EPSON printer 
User Community (highly recommended by Vogon Poets and MegaDodo 
Publications), at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EPSON_Printers/
and  the Multiverse's largest Canon printer User  Community at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Canon-printers
"For the rest of you out there, the secret is to bang the rocks together 
guys"

 

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--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Editor P.O.V. 
Image Service" <editor@...> wrote:
>
> You heard it here first!
> 


No actually Xrite sent me an email Friday:

"We have recently been informed by Amazys Holding AG, parent company 
of GretagMacBeth, that their Board of Directors has received a letter 
stating an intent to make a competing public tender offer from 
Eichhof Holding AG. 

Developments such as this are not unusual in a public company 
acquisition process. I am writing you today to assure you that our 
agreement to purchase all of the outstanding shares of Amazys is 
continuing as planned. We as a company are fully committed to the 
completion of the transaction, and our agreement has the support of 
the Boards of Directors of both X-Rite and Amazys. 

I also want to assure you that you can rely upon us to continue to 
provide a high level of support on existing and future purchases, so 
you can make color management investments with us with confidence. 

I anticipate that there may be questions, and I encourage you to 
communicate them to your sales representative. As we keep you 
informed of the acquisition, throughout the process, details can be 
found at www.xrite.com/announce. We appreciate your continued support 
and remain committed to your partnership. 

Sincerely, 


Michael C. Ferrara 
CEO, X-Rite "

Greg wrote:

>--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Editor P.O.V. 
>Image Service" <editor@...> wrote:
>  
>
>>You heard it here first!
>>
>>    
>>
>
>
>No actually Xrite sent me an email Friday:
>
>"We have recently been informed by Amazys Holding AG, parent company 
>of GretagMacBeth, that their Board of Directors has received a letter 
>stating an intent to make a competing public tender offer from 
>Eichhof Holding AG. 
>
>Developments such as this are not unusual in a public company 
>acquisition process. I am writing you today to assure you that our 
>agreement to purchase all of the outstanding shares of Amazys is 
>continuing as planned. We as a company are fully committed to the 
>completion of the transaction, and our agreement has the support of 
>the Boards of Directors of both X-Rite and Amazys. 
>
>I also want to assure you that you can rely upon us to continue to 
>provide a high level of support on existing and future purchases, so 
>you can make color management investments with us with confidence. 
>
>I anticipate that there may be questions, and I encourage you to 
>communicate them to your sales representative. As we keep you 
>informed of the acquisition, throughout the process, details can be 
>found at www.xrite.com/announce. We appreciate your continued support 
>and remain committed to your partnership. 
>
>Sincerely, 
>
>
>Michael C. Ferrara 
>CEO, X-Rite "
>
>  
>
"No," what?

What Ferrara says is wholly irrelevant to anything but the fact that 
X-Rite is leaving their own offer on the table. It's like saying to a 
homeowner who just got offered $300,000 for a house you only offered 
$250,000 for: "I'm still willing to pay you $250,000." (Actually, in 
this case, it's more like telling one's wife: "I told them we're still 
willing to pay $250,000. We just gotta hope the other deal never fully 
materializes.") It only becomes relevant if the $300,000 offer doesn't 
pan out.  The ball is now in Eichhoff's court.

Keep in mind that Amazys (Gretag) is a publicly traded company listed on 
the Swiss Exchange.  Look at the major shareholders...
<http://tinyurl.com/zh7qx>
The founding partners, investment groups, AND creditors

IF Eichhoff makes a larger tender, I would guess the X-Rite deal is 
over. "It's all about the Benjamins."  ;-)

Note the news from as far back as 2001 with Gretag's founding partners 
having to extend them additional credit lines..
http://tinyurl.com/juocf

If you're a founding partner who extended them additional credit, do you 
take the bigger buyout from a company with a business model that is 
giving them and expanding market share, or a smaller tender from a 
company that has used a business model similar to your own?
-- 
Keith

 
Keith Krebs

"Just some guy," caretaker of the Multiverse's largest EPSON printer 
User Community (highly recommended by Vogon Poets and MegaDodo 
Publications), at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EPSON_Printers/
and  the Multiverse's largest Canon printer User  Community at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Canon-printers
"For the rest of you out there, the secret is to bang the rocks together 
guys"

 

****************************************************************
CONFIDENTIALITY & COPYRIGHT NOTICE:
This e-mail message, including attachments and contents, is © Copyright, 
Keith Krebs, 2001-2006, All Rights Reserved. It is expressly for the 
sole use of the intended recipient and may contain confidential and 
privileged information. Absent the express written authorization of the 
author, any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, transfer, or 
distribution is explicitly prohibited and taken at your own risk. If you 
are not, or are unsure whether you are, the intended recipient, please 
contact the sender immediately and destroy all copies of the original 
message. Violations will be prosecuted to the FULL extent allowed under 
applicable civil and criminal law. Imagery published or distributed in 
violation of these conditions shall be subject to a $1500/image 
liquidated damages charge, in addition to any applicable Copyright 
violation penalties.

POV IMage Service Banner
****************************************************************
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Editor P.O.V. 
Image Service" <editor@...> wrote:
> "No," what?
> 


No, I heard about the other offer from Xrite first, that's no what.

Greg wrote:

>--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Editor P.O.V. 
>Image Service" <editor@...> wrote:
>  
>
>>"No," what?
>>    
>>
And you chose not to share, WHY?...  ;-)
Keith

 
Keith Krebs

"Just some guy," caretaker of the Multiverse's largest EPSON printer 
User Community (highly recommended by Vogon Poets and MegaDodo 
Publications), at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EPSON_Printers/
and  the Multiverse's largest Canon printer User  Community at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Canon-printers
"For the rest of you out there, the secret is to bang the rocks together 
guys"

 

****************************************************************
CONFIDENTIALITY & COPYRIGHT NOTICE:
This e-mail message, including attachments and contents, is © Copyright, 
Keith Krebs, 2001-2006, All Rights Reserved. It is expressly for the 
sole use of the intended recipient and may contain confidential and 
privileged information. Absent the express written authorization of the 
author, any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, transfer, or 
distribution is explicitly prohibited and taken at your own risk. If you 
are not, or are unsure whether you are, the intended recipient, please 
contact the sender immediately and destroy all copies of the original 
message. Violations will be prosecuted to the FULL extent allowed under 
applicable civil and criminal law. Imagery published or distributed in 
violation of these conditions shall be subject to a $1500/image 
liquidated damages charge, in addition to any applicable Copyright 
violation penalties.

POV IMage Service Banner
****************************************************************
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Editor P.O.V. 
Image Service" <editor@...> wrote:
> And you chose not to share, WHY?...  ;-)
> Keith
> 
>  
> Keith Krebs


If you like, I will email the next updates directly to you when/if I 
get them. The fine details may be lacking, but at least you would 
have a lead on what to track down.

And I'm still not sure that this sale will be for the consumer's 
benefit, no matter who buys them. It will still (probably) be a 
reduction in options and competition, and that is usually not good 
for the consumer. But you never really know until it's all said and 
done.

Greg wrote:

>
>If you like, I will email the next updates directly to you when/if I 
>get them. The fine details may be lacking, but at least you would 
>have a lead on what to track down.
>
>  
>
THANKS! I would actually sincerely appreciate that.

>And I'm still not sure that this sale will be for the consumer's 
>benefit, no matter who buys them. It will still (probably) be a 
>reduction in options and competition, and that is usually not good 
>for the consumer. But you never really know until it's all said and 
>done.
>  
>
Agreed.  What I'm afraid of Greg, is that without some consolidation, 
and with M$ effectively entering the software side of all this, that all 
of us, as consumers get the short end if there isn't at least one player 
that is on really sound fiscal and technical ground - with a business 
model that is leading to expanding sales. If there aren't any, Color 
Management Software will be just one more area where M$ calls the shots. 
That can't be a good thing for consumers.

If I had my choice?  I would wish that Gretag, X-Rite and Colorvision 
were all strong and equally competitive across the board. Then consumers 
would really benefit. Right now, all any of us can do is hope that 
whatever shakes out of all this benefits consumers.
Keith

 
Keith Krebs

"Just some guy," caretaker of the Multiverse's largest EPSON printer 
User Community (highly recommended by Vogon Poets and MegaDodo 
Publications), at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EPSON_Printers/
and  the Multiverse's largest Canon printer User  Community at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Canon-printers
"For the rest of you out there, the secret is to bang the rocks together 
guys"

 

****************************************************************
CONFIDENTIALITY & COPYRIGHT NOTICE:
This e-mail message, including attachments and contents, is © Copyright, 
Keith Krebs, 2001-2006, All Rights Reserved. It is expressly for the 
sole use of the intended recipient and may contain confidential and 
privileged information. Absent the express written authorization of the 
author, any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, transfer, or 
distribution is explicitly prohibited and taken at your own risk. If you 
are not, or are unsure whether you are, the intended recipient, please 
contact the sender immediately and destroy all copies of the original 
message. Violations will be prosecuted to the FULL extent allowed under 
applicable civil and criminal law. Imagery published or distributed in 
violation of these conditions shall be subject to a $1500/image 
liquidated damages charge, in addition to any applicable Copyright 
violation penalties.

POV IMage Service Banner
****************************************************************
{ The P.O.V. Image Service Website is still at http://www.p-o-v-image.com/ }





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