EFI (Nasdaq:EFII), the leader in color digital print servers, super wide format printers and inks, and print management solutions, and Israeli Kornit Digital, Ltd. today announced a joint partnership to address the growing demands of the printed textile industry as it migrates from analog to digital technologies. As part of the agreement, EFI has made a strategic investment of $3.5 million in Kornit, which develops and sells high-end industrial digital inkjet printers and inks for the textile industry, primarily for the finished garment and apparel printing markets.
"EFI is impressed with Kornit's high-speed, high-quality printers and unique textile inks, their seasoned professionals, and their passion for bringing the benefits of digital inkjet technology to the garment industry," said Guy Gecht, CEO of EFI. "This alliance aims to further Kornit's growth and accelerate the printed textile industry's transformation from analog to digital technologies." Digital inkjet printing of finished garments fulfills the growing need for efficient printing of custom, low-volume, fast-turnaround orders, and is an economical alternative to traditional analog screen-printing.
"We've been seeking a partner that is a proven technology leader with a global reputation," said Ofer Ben-Zur, CEO of Kornit Digital. "With EFI's support and strategic investment, we'll be able to extend our lead as the only digital industrial solution within the direct to garment market. EFI can offer us many sales and marketing opportunities by exposing us to their large customer base."
With more than 100 customers, mostly in North America, Kornit offers digital inkjet printers that specialize in printing high-quality images on t-shirts and other finished garments, with print speeds up to 200 t-shirts per hour. Kornit systems can print on a wide variety of fabrics, including black garments, using proprietary solvent- and water-based CMYK and white inks that provide high image resolution, color vibrancy and wash resistance. Kornit is positioned at the high-end of available offerings in this category due to its performance and reliability.
One of Kornit's largest customers is CafePress.com, the leading online marketplace of custom printed t-shirts and other items. Currently serving a network of over 3 million members and a product catalog containing in excess of 70 million different print-on-demand products, CafePress demands quality and efficiency in its printers. Kornit meets those demands and is their printer of choice in their Louisville, Ky., production facility.
"Less than 2 years ago the print-on-demand garment business relied on aging heat transfer technology," explains CafePress CEO and co-founder Fred Durham. "In this short time Kornit has developed and refined the art of printing directly to the garment with quality levels often matching screen printed t-shirts, a feat thought impossible a short time ago. I trust Kornit and EFI to continue being at the forefront of innovation, enabling us to deliver even higher quality products to our customers."