Baldwin drives ahead in UV technologies with new acquisition

Baldwin, a specialist in highly reactive UV, UV LED and IR drying systems, has acquired Air Motion Systems, a provider of UV LED curing technology for the graphic arts industry.

The new entity of Baldwin, part of the Barry-Wehmiller family of companies, will rebrand as AMS Spectral UV, and combine AMS with Baldwin’s UV division. AMS Spectral UV locations will continue to grow their operations in the US (River Falls, Wisconsin and Easton, Pennsylvania) and the UK.

The AMS UV LED product portfolio has become ‘the de-facto standard for LED curing’ in sheet-fed offset printing and flexo packaging, according to the statement detailing the acquisition, with an installed base nearly 10 times that of its nearest competitor.

Complementing this technology, Baldwin’s UV division has vast experience in highly reactive UV curing and numerous LED applications outside of traditional print markets. Further, the new curing technology entity will leverage a massive base of experience serving OEM and industrial markets.

Stephen Metcalf, president of AMS Spectral UV, and formerly AMS president, described the acquisition as the beginning of a new era in providing high-performance technology for the UV industry: "We’re bringing the top industry minds, technology and experience together to tap an unprecedented opportunity in LED and UV, and to serve an ever-widening range of markets and applications."

Pat Keogh, one of the commercial leaders of AMS Spectral UV, added: "What AMS Spectral UV will provide customers is a doubling of research and development, engineering, manufacturing capacity and service to meet their growing needs in the market. We are proud to continue to offer innovative solutions in a new world being driven by the rapid advancement in UV and LED curing technologies."

According to market intelligence provider Yole Development, the total value of the UV LED market worldwide is projected to grow to one billion-plus USD in the next five years.

AMS Spectral UV aims to capture a large share of the anticipated market by leveraging the scale and resources of Baldwin, which, through its global footprint, supplies process-automation equipment and related consumables, parts and services for the print, film, corrugated, textile and paper and packaging industries.

"The establishment of AMS Spectral UV strengthens our ability to provide value to our existing customers while remaining responsive to emerging market opportunities," concluded Brent Becker, Baldwin CEO.

"This exciting investment underscores our commitment to a strategy that blends organic and acquisition growth to enhance our global footprint and the technology we can deliver to our customers."