Sefar Printing's general manager Australia, Gerard Pignatelli, will act as regional sales director Australia for KIWO Australia following Sefar's acquisition by Germany's Kissel & Wolf.

Sefar starts year under new owner

22 January 2013

Melbourne packaging print specialist Sefar Printing has been acquired by the Australian arm of German chemical and print company, Kissel & Wolf.

The company has started 2013 trading as KIWO Australia, acting as the exclusive distributor of Sefar screen printing mesh products for the Australian market.

The company will continue to supply all other products and stencil making services currently offered by Sefar.

Sefar in Australia represent the German metal decorating ink maker, Zeller & Gmelin and the Liechtenstein-based coating supplier Schekolin AG.

Sefar has been successful during 2012 in securing business with such local packaging converters as Guala Closures, Ardagh Group, Morris McMahon, Irwin & Sheehan, and Visy Food.

Staff currently employed by the Sefar printing division will be employed by KIWO Australia and will continue to operate from its office in Tullamarine. In New South Wales, initially, the business will operate from Huntingwood in Sydney's west but will move to a new location early this year.

The general manager of Sefar's Australian operation, Gerard Pignatelli, will now act as regional sales manager for KIWO.

KIWO regional director Asia Pacific, Martin Stacher, will also be based in Australia for the next few months working on the integration of the Sefar Printing Division into KIWO.

He said KIWO was fully supportive of Sefar’s activities in the metal can and closure markets and additional business is expected during 2013 and beyond.