Sold! Katun Acquired At Last

Following what seems to have been years of speculation, Minneapolis-based Katun has been acquired. Taiwan-based General Plastic Industrial Co., better known as GPI, has signed an agreement to acquire Katun from Monomoy Capital Partners.

The transaction requires the approval of GPI’s shareholders and regulatory approval by the Taiwanese government. According to GPI, registered on the Taiwanese stock exchange as TWSE 6128, it expects the process to take some months and will not be finalized before the end of 2017, at the earliest.

“This is a good outcome,” one of Katun’s distributors told RT Media. “It’s always better to have a strategic owner than one that has purely a financial interest.” Another commentator told RT Media, “It never ceases to amaze me how these companies love announcing their big news just before your RemaxWorld Expo.”

“Katun is very excited to become part of the GPI organization and to begin the next chapter in our company’s history,” says Robert Moore, President and CEO of Katun. Moore replaced Sebastian Bretschneider as President and CEO in February 2016. “Having worked closely with GPI for well over a decade, we have the highest regard for its entire organization, culture, and products, as well as its unsurpassed dedication to quality and innovative toner cartridge solutions, ” he added. “GPI’s technical and manufacturing capabilities will significantly enhance the Katun value proposition, as well the value that Katun already offers our customers.”

Moore will remain as President and CEO of Katun as will the Katun management team in order to work closely with the GPI team to leverage each organization’s strengths to the benefit of our customers.

Moore said, “With more than 350 employees operating out of three geographic business units, ten distribution and warehouse locations, and more than 20 sales offices worldwide, Katun is a global leader in OEM-compatible consumables for imaging equipment.” Headquartered in Minneapolis, Katun Corporation was established in 1979 and today is a leading global, alternative supplier of imaging supplies, photoreceptors and parts to the imaging industry. Given its 38 years of expertise, the company claims to now serve more than 11,500 customers in 123 countries. Katun is online at www.katun.com

Who is GPI?

General Plastic Industrial Co., Ltd is a publicly-traded company on the Taiwan stock market exchange that primarily engages in the development, manufacture, filling and distribution of toner cartridges, including its toner cartridge brand, Cartridge Web^™. It was established in 1978, just one year before Katun, with its core business to acquire patents, research and develop the production of consumables and drum units for photocopiers and printers. GPI claims it will continue to maintain its commitment to the development of patents and channels to see high-quality, non-infringing aftermarket product in key global markets.