Large Format Review - Business News

Canon gives Notice to AFM of Acquired Shareholding in OCÉ

On November 16, 2009 Canon Inc. (trading symbol CAJ) ("Canon") and Océ N.V. (trading symbol OCE) ("Océ") announced that Canon intends to make a fully self-funded, public cash offer for all the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of Océ (the "Ordinary Shares") at an offer price of € 8.60 in cash per Ordinary Share.

Today, Canon has given notice to the AFM (Dutch Authority Financial Markets) that it has acquired through market purchases a number of Ordinary Shares representing approximately 16.9% of Océ's total issued share capital.

These Ordinary Shares were acquired by Canon at an average price of € 8.542 (with € 8.56 as the highest price paid) and represent approximately 21.3% of the total Ordinary Shares.

This notice is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to purchase or a solicitation of an offer to sell Océ’s Shares.

This notice contains forward-looking statements with respect to future results, performance and achievements that are subject to risk and uncertainties and reflect management’s views and assumptions formed by available information. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be considered forward-looking statements. When used in this document, words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project” or “should” and similar expressions, as they relate to Canon, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Canon to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, among others, changes in general economic and business conditions, changes in currency exchange rates and interest rates, introduction of competing products by other companies, lack of acceptance of new products or services by Canon’s targeted customers, inability to meet efficiency and cost-reduction objectives, changes in business strategy and various other factors, both referenced and not referenced in this notice. A detailed description of these and other risk factors is included in Canon’s annual report on Form 20-F, which is on file with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein. Canon does not intend or assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Fujifilm has announced that effective January 1, 2010 it is creating a new organisation, Fujifilm North America Corporation, which will merge Fujifilm USA Inc. and Fujifilm Graphic Systems USA Inc. Fujifilm Canada Inc. will become a subsidiary of the new company as of April 1, 2010.

"The creation of this unified organisation will enable us to build a stronger presence in the North American markets and realise greater collaboration between businesses," said Ryutaro Hosoda, President Fujifilm Holdings America Corporation. "Most important, it will allow us to serve our customers even more effectively and efficiently by taking full advantage of the skills and knowledge of our people.”

Fujifilm North America will bring together five operating divisions: photo imaging products including digital photo processing equipment and services supplying commercial and consumer customers; graphic systems products and services supplying the printing industry; consumer digital cameras; motion picture films; and the Canada Division (operating as Fujifilm Canada Inc.) which markets multiple Fujifilm products.

Agfa Graphics to acquire assets of Gandi Innovations Holdings LLC., a leader in large format inkjet printing systems

• Acquisition enables Agfa Graphics to significantly increase its presence in large format inkjet printing
• Gandi’s portfolio of mid-range large format printers is completely complementary to Agfa Graphics' inkjet business
• The proposed transaction will allow Agfa Graphics to serve a large installed base.

Agfa Graphics announces that it has reached an agreement to acquire most of the assets of Gandi Innovations Holdings LLC’s North American operations and the shares of its principal foreign subsidiaries.
Gandi Innovations is a global leader in large format inkjet systems.
Since May 2009, it has been operating under CCAA protection in Canada and Chapter 15 in the USA.
The acquisition is subject to regulatory and court approval and the successful closing of the transaction. The price of the transaction is not being disclosed at this point of time, but it will have no major impact on Agfa's financial debt.

Over the period 2001-2009, Gandi Innovations has created a large installed base of inkjet printing engines, reaching a sales peak of 127 million USD in 2008. Sales in 2009 have strongly suffered from the economic crisis (affecting in particular investment goods) and the uncertainty surrounding the company. Gandi Innovations' long established team has a wealth of pioneering expertise and engineering excellence in large format printing technology. Gandi Innovations' customers include many of the world's leading Point of Purchase and large format printing companies. Over the years, they have come to rely on the company's vision, reliability and cutting-edge technology.

Gandi Innovations was founded in 2001 and has its headquarters and its production facilities in Mississauga (Canada). The Group employs 256 highly skilled staff and operates worldwide through sales offices and distributors.

Combined with recent announcements on Agfa Graphics' :M-Press Tiger industrial flatbed inkjet press and the launch of new printing engines in the :Anapurna large format range, the acquisition of the assets of Gandi Innovations strengthens Agfa Graphics' leadership in large format inkjet printing systems.

"The combination of Gandi Innovations' products and Agfa Graphics' products will result in substantial growth for our inkjet business based on an even more complete system portfolio," said Richard Barham, Agfa Graphics' Vice President Inkjet. "This is an important step in implementing our Inkjet growth strategy. As our own portfolio consists of entry-level and high-end inkjet systems, Gandi Innovations' mid-range systems are a 100% complementary fit with our existing inkjet technology."

Gandi Innovations' CEO and co-founder Hary Gandy added: "Joining Agfa Graphics offers Gandi Innovations' staff and customers tremendous opportunities for the future. The combined capabilities and coverage in customer service and research and development will accelerate the launch of new products, deliver new business opportunities and further expand our service to our customers."

Paul French has been appointed as the new Managing Director of Robert Horne Group.  Paul has been in the visual communication market for over 15 years having started his career at Xerox. In addition to his specialist knowledge he has gained extensive general management experience in a variety of Senior Management roles. In 2001 Paul became Managing Director of Spandex UK, a Sign and Digital specialist Company, part of the International Gerber Technologies.  For the last three years he has been Divisional Director of Robert Horne's Sign & Display division.

Paul comments "This is a really exciting opportunity and I am looking forward to leading this business as we navigate our way through the current trading conditions into what I believe is a period of growth and stability for this business. We have the potential to further enhance our products and services by fully developing the width and depth of our service to customers.  Robert Horne is in a unique position in terms of our offer to market from paper, board, plastics, press room consumables and packaging through to wide format machinery, environmental consultancy and waste management."

Electronics For Imaging, Inc., a world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation, and its superwide format printer unit VUTEk today announced total victory in patent litigation with Leggett & Platt (L&P) involving EFI's ultra-violet (UV) ink curing technology.

After a string of successful summary judgment motions, one of which was affirmed by the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, EFI has reached a non-confidential settlement with L&P that does not require any payment from EFI to L&P. L&P dismissed all of its claims against EFI and promised not to sue EFI or any of its customers based on a claim that EFI products infringe any of the patents-in-suit or any related patent.

L&P first filed the lawsuit in May 2005 against VUTEk during EFI's acquisition of the innovative superwide format printer business. L&P claimed that its patent (U.S. Patent No. 6,755,518) covered VUTEk's technology. From the outset EFI maintained that VUTEk invented and patented the technologies first (U.S. Patent Nos. 6,457,823 and 6,616,355). The US District Court in St. Louis agreed with EFI, invalidating all of L&P's asserted patent claims and ordering L&P to pay EFI's costs to defend the lawsuit. The US Federal Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that conclusion in its entirety. In July 2009, the US District Court held that a second L&P patent (U.S. Patent No. 7,290,874) is also invalid in light of EFI's patents and printer design technology.

On April 21, 2009, L&P sued EFI again, alleging infringement of a third L&P patent (U.S. Patent No. 7,520,602). As with the two other patents, EFI moved for summary judgment to invalidate this third patent using the same prior art previously relied upon by the court. Faced with the very real possibility of losing a third patent, L&P approached EFI to settle the dispute. Under the settlement, EFI will pay nothing, agreeing to dismiss its claims that the '602 patent is invalid and to not oppose L&P's motion to vacate the July 2009 decision invalidating the '874 patent. L&P dismissed all claims against EFI and promised not to sue EFI or its customers under these patents or any related patent.

"We are very pleased with this result. A settlement like this-with a patent plaintiff walking away with no payment whatsoever-is rare in modern patent litigation," said EFI's General Counsel Bryan Ko. "This settlement establishes conclusively what we've maintained all along: that EFI invented and patented this technology first."

Shigetaka Komori, president and CEO, FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, has received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, in recognition of his accomplishments in industry and in furthering culture through his leadership roles at Fujifilm, Japan's Broadcasting Company—NHK, and a range of industry and cultural organisations.

The Order of the Rising Sun was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, and was created in 1875. The design of the badge and ribbon presented to signify the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star conveys the powerful energy of the sun and Japan's designation as the "Land of the Rising Sun."

During his tenure at Fujifilm, Komori has been instrumental in advancing the principles of corporate social responsibility throughout the global Fujifilm Group. Komori's most significant initiative has been the implementation of a series of far-reaching growth measures which have led to a dramatic transformation of the company's business structure through intensive investments in facilities, and research and development activities in new, high-growth business fields.

Komori serves as president of the Japan-German Society and the Japan-Netherlands Society. His contributions were recognized in 2004 when he was awarded the Medal with Blue Ribbon by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan. In 2006, the Photo Marketing Association International (PMA) awarded Komori the Hall of Fame award, its highest honour. Also in 2006, he received the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany from His Majesty the President of the Federal Republic of Germany.