Consolidation in the newspaper press market has begun as Swiss newspaper printing press manufacturer Wifag has acquired Swedish single-width web press maker Solna.

The move provides Wifag access to the fast-growing emerging markets of China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East where newspaper production continues to be on the rise. In a release announcing the acquisition, it is reported that Solna is number two in terms of press units sold in China for single-wide single- or double-around web presses.

This acquisition comes little more than a year after Wifag was close to being acquired by German press maker manroland, although that deal was never consummated.

Solna printing presses, designed for newspaper, book and commercial production, are manufactured and assembled in Europe, although the company recently built up a manufacturing supply chain in China. Wifag specializes in high-performance newspaper press technology.

The Wifag and Solna product lines will continue to maintain their brand identities.

The combined newspaper business of Wifag and Solna, headquartered in Fribourg, Switzerland will be run by Jörgen Karlsson, formerly Solna’s CEO and owner. He will report to Peter Ruth, CEO of the Wifag and Polytype Group.