Faenza – PRATI has entered into a number distribution agreements following a strong period of growth. The company, which has moved its operational headquarters to Faenza, has signed new deals that cover Benelux, Brazil and the Far East.
 
PRATI has bolstered its European sales network by extending its existing distribution agreement with Nilpeter to cover the Benelux region. The new arrangement marks the second time PRATI has extended its distribution agreement with Nilpeter. The original agreement saw the Dutch company distribute PRATI machines for finishing self-adhesive labels in Germany, and it was the excellent results in this market that prompted PRATI to extend the agreement to other areas covered by Nilpeter, such as Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia. In addition to distribution, Nilpeter also provides service and technical support to users of PRATI systems in these regions.
 
Bert van Kooy, Sales Manager at Nilpeter for PRATI solutions, takes care of the Benelux market from his Dutch office in Zeewolde. The company has already achieved an important goal for the Benelux area: a VEGAplus 450 finishing line, equipped with two die-cutting modules and a rewinding turret mechanism, has been sold to an important label specialist in The Netherlands, which will use it to produce large quantities of blank labels. "We have an excellent relationship with Nilpeter, and are happy that the company is representing us in some very important areas for us," comments Chiara Prati, Sales Director at PRATI.
 
Another high-profile name representing PRATI in Brazil is Máquinas Materiais Gráficos Gutenberg. The St Paul-based company is highly respected in the Brazilian graphic arts industry, as it represents prestigious  brands such as Komori, Perfecta, Asahi, and Nuova Gidue. Máquinas Materiais Gráficos Gutenberg has vast experience in narrow-web label printing, and has worked in the sector for more than 20 years. The contact people in Brazil for PRATI solutions are the Sales Managers Osmar Rodrigues and Rafael Costa.
 
Meanwhile Drex-Chem Technologies Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of the homonymous multi-national group, is the new PRATI agent for Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Philippine. Drex-Chem's core business involves distributing  chemicals and raw materials to the electronics market;  chemical products for ink and paint manufacturers; presses, plates, doctor blades, bi-adhesives, machines for the incineration of solvents; machines for producing  plates for the printing industry; and plastics and resins for industrial use and for cosmetics.
 
Following its success in supplying chemicals, Drex-Chem has ventured into the supply, installation, technical service and maintenance of processors and other equipment for the same customers, and it represents New Gidue too.
 
Ivan Lim, who will oversee PRATI sales from his office in Singapore, believes the Far East represents an excellent growth opportunity for label printing and finishing processes – especially the growing of the personal care market segment,  an area that offers printers wider profit margins.
 
Chiara Prati concludes: "These new partnerships mean we're perfectly placed to develop new business opportunities and increase our market share in Europe, the Far East and South America. We have a strong presence in most of the areas around the world, and further expansion in the future will enable us to achieve our goal of global distribution."