Global Graphics (Cambridge, UK) has aligned its nine prepress hardware subsidiaries and printing software companies worldwide into two divisions to reflect the integration of its businesses, consolidate its position as a supplier to graphic arts industry OEMs and position the company for future growth.

The company will now operate as Global Graphics Hardware and Global Graphics Software, with the names of the former subsidiary companies remaining as product brands. Global Graphics Hardware features brands in the flexo and litho prepress plate processing market: Photomeca and Colomag (both based in Pompey, France), AZ (Milan, Italy), Heights (Halifax, UK), ICG (Cheltenham, UK), Technigraph (Thetford, UK) and Kelleigh (Middlesex, NJ). The companies forming Global Graphics Software are digital printing software providers Harlequin and Jaws Systems, both of whose U.S. headquarters are in Waltham, MA, and MAXWorkflow (Melbourne, FL), acquired from Harris last year.

"The realignment of our companies into these two divisions is the culmination of an intensive and strategic acquisitions program over the past four years," says Johan Volckaerts, chairman and CEO. "This change will give us a stronger presence in all our priority markets and establishes a corporate platform from which we can take our technology into new markets. As operating units within our new hardware and software divisions, these formerly independent businesses are now taking a concerted approach in the sharing of resources in R&D, product development, and sales and marketing, and in exploring business opportunities across an increasing number of industry segments."