7 www.signlink.co.uk Issue 264 - April | May 2026 INDUSTRY | NEWS Durst celebrates 90 years with Kyveris platform Print technology manufacturer, Durst Group, is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, marking its evolution from a small photography workshop to a global provider of industrial and wide-format digital printing. Durst began in 1936 with two brothers opening a small workshop in Brixen, Italy, evolving over the decades from a small precision workshop into a key manufacturer of photographic technology. Durst made a big splash in the digital printing technology realm in 1994 with the launch of the Durst Lambda 130, which represented a key transition in print technology from analogue enlargers to digital imaging. Today, Durst solutions are offered in wide-format printing through the P5 platform, labels and flexo packaging through the Tau Platform, and a range of other specialised solutions including the Alpha Series of textile printers and UV-LED flatbeds through subsidiary, Vanguard. To mark the 90-year milestone, Durst has unveiled Kyveris, an AI-powered ‘production intelligence’ platform for digital production. Kyveris aims to transform digital printing and additive manufacturing by unifying files, machines, software, data, and AI into a single, autonomous production system that can optimise performance and reduce waste. While Durst is yet to reveal full details of Kyveris, the company says that it marks the transition from precision hardware to production intelligence, with all processes converging into an intelligent, continuously learning production system. The end-goal is to create a production environment that is transparent, reproducible, and increasingly autonomous – moving toward Durst’s vision of what it calls “the lights-out factory.” The manufacturer describes Kyveris as “the logical consequence of decades of in-house development in digital printing” as well as a “decisive step in the company’s industrial evolution.” Christoph Gamper, chief executive officer and co-owner of the Durst Group, says: “Durst has never been a manager of the status quo – we have always been a creator of the next standard. “After 90 years of precision engineering, we are taking the next logical step: production intelligence for digital printing and additive manufacturing. We no longer think of production as a machine or a workflow, but as an intelligent, continuously learning system. With Kyveris, we are defining the next evolutionary stage of digital production technology.” Durst will present Kyveris at FESPA Global Print Expo 2026 Brother announces plans to acquire Mutoh Japanese hardware manufacturer, Brother Industries, has announced its ambitions to acquire the outstanding shares of Mutoh Holdings, including the company’s wide-format printer business, in order to support its strategic growth plans. Under the offer, Brother will launch an acquisition initiative for all outstanding assets of Mutoh, excluding treasury shares, at an offer price of ¥7,626 (£35.79) per share, with the total offer valued at ¥35bn (£160m). As part of this deal, MUTOH would be converted into a wholly owned subsidiary of Brother. A number of released documents from Brother outline the commencement of the tender offer, which outlines its aims to secure a stronger product lineup and market position within the printing sector. According to the documents, Brother will use its own funds for the acquisition, with one of the core justifications of the purchase being to benefit from economies of scale through joint procurement and standardisation of manufacturing. Brother’s acquisition would include Mutoh’s full lineup of printers and inks Clearer messaging needed for recycling says EPIC Media Vehicle wrapping and graphics expert, EPIC Media, has called on councils to provide clearer messaging following recycling reforms that first came into effect across the UK last year. Simpler Recycling is a UK government initiative, effective from April 2025, that standardises recycling collections across England with the aim of making it easier for households and businesses to recycle. EPIC Media is urging local authorities and waste operators to prioritise visible, consistent public messaging as food waste collections expand and change. Rather than viewing vehicle and fleet graphics purely as branding, EPIC positions them as an “ongoing communications platform.” According to EPIC, rapid wrap solutions and changeable graphic systems will allow authorities to update messaging in line with phased rollouts, policy adjustments, and resident education campaigns. As authorities review fleet procurement, depot capacity, and container distribution, EPIC Media is encouraging waste teams and communications departments to align operational planning with visible, consistent messaging. EPIC Media Group has provided vehicle graphics to authorities for over 20 years By Jonathan Pert By Jonathan Pert By Jonathan Pert
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