The current owners of GWS, Eric van Kessel and Walter Donkers, will continue as managers of the business.

Alexander Wassermann, chief executive officer, Manroland Goss, said, “The acquisition of GWS and Dovak is a logical consequence of the many years of cooperation between the companies and the numerous project successes celebrated between the companies. Teaming our forces and solutions will result in an even broader portfolio to the printing industry worldwide. We expect the used equipment market and related services to grow within the next years, so adding GWS gives us the chance to become an even stronger and broader supplier in this business area.”

Manroland Goss and GWS have already closely cooperated in the field of used equipment, heatset press service and within the Market-X eCommerce platform launched by Manroland Goss last year.

Donkers and Eric van Kessel, current owners of GWS and Dovak, said, “The graphic industry is facing constant change and it is obvious that suppliers seek to cooperate. Being part of the Manroland Goss Group will allow us to develop and accelerate our growth plan for the business, increase market presence and support the MGWS business strategy in the new setup. In the area of used web offset equipment and related projects GWS will be given the chance to act as a standalone company in line with the clear MGWS vision to maintain the entrepreneurial approach GWS is known for and at the same time GWS will be able to extend its network and market reach.”