Drupa double-take

The subject line on the email reads "HP (NYSE HPQ) Announces Multimillion Dollar Sale of Indigo Technologies", leading to my instantaneous take of "Wow, now they're divesting graphics arts businesses?". But actually, the shortened email heading is more complete and clear (with that all important prepositional phrase at the end) in the business wire headline, "HP Announces Multimillion Dollar Sale of HP Indigo Digital Press Technologies to Consolidated Graphics" and describes a 36-press deal that adds to the existing 19-press fleet owned by HP-customer Consolidated, an Indigo digital press owner since 1998. The company is obviously prospering with $1.2 Billion in revenues, but not quite ready to take on ownership of HP's Indigo division, as that first headline had me headed, which means we're still waiting for the first big Drupa-based acquisition announcement!

An interesting quote in the release regarding the application area for some of Consolidated's business:

Photo specialty printing, which includes photobooks and similar digitally printed products, is the fastest-growing segment of the HP Indigo business. According to IDC, the photo merchandise market will grow 91 per cent from 2007-09, with worldwide revenues expected to reach $2.6 billion by 2009. (from IDC Market Analysis, Worldwide Online Custom Photo Merchandise 2008-2012 Forecast: The Photo Merchandise Bible, February 2008)

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