Bolingbrook, IL, - IST Metz and its North American subsidiary, IST America, have formed an alliance with Kersten Elektrostatik GmbH of Freiburg, Germany, which calls for worldwide distribution of Kersten equipment by IST. Kersten designs and manufactures electrostatic charging and discharging equipment which is used in printing plants. The agreement does not affect original equipment manufacturers, which are supplied directly by Kersten. In announcing the alliance, IST America president Joachim Jung commented: "This alliance will permit printers considering ultraviolet curing for traditional offset as well as lightweight foils and films to realize a unified solution which will address both curing and static control needs. IST Metz and IST America are pleased to partner with a leading global supplier in the static control area. Printers in North America can only benefit from the synergy created by these two equipment leaders, and from the resulting expertise and support strength in drying and curing systems and static control." IST America Corporation is the North American subsidiary of IST Metz GmbH, the premier manufacturer of ultraviolet drying and curing systems for graphic arts and industrial applications. Each IST ultraviolet system is engineered and manufactured to exacting specifications. Since its founding in 1977, IST has produced more than 6000 ultraviolet units and more than 20,000 lamps, with some 80 percent in graphic arts applications. IST installations are in 56 countries around the world.