In beginning August 2020, Epson has announced that its textile subsidiary companies in Italy, Fratelli Robustelli S.r.l. (Robustelli) and For.Tex S.r.l. (For.Tex) will be merged. Robustelli and For.Tex, are located in the Como region of Italy, one of the world’s great textile printing centers. Both companies are core subsidiaries of Epson in the direct-to-fabric (DTF) digital textile printing sector.
Robustelli develops and manufactures digital textile printers while For.Tex is primarily engaged in textile ink sales and support. Robustelli is known particularly for its inkjet Monna Lisa series, which it began developing with Epson in 2003. Epson eventually acquired the family-owned company in 2016.
Epson foresees textile printing as one of the most promising growth areas for its digital inkjet printing solutions business. It expects growth to be fuelled by the overall shift from traditional plate or image carrier based analog printing to direct to substrate digital printing solutions. Epson sees substantial opportunity to leverage its inkjet technology and is thus strengthening its textile printing product lineup and operations.
The merger of Robustelli and For.Tex scheduled for completion by the end of 2020 will integrate their management and operations for Epson to provide need-based solutions for inkjet digital printers, consumables, and services. The global textile printing industry is compelled to accommodate consumer preferences for unique designs with short production runs, provide quick product delivery, and maintain traditional value while reducing its environmental impact. Epson’s inkjet solutions can increase user productivity while shrinking their ecological footprint. Epson has had a textile and fabric digital printing demonstration center in the Mumbai area in India for some time, as it anticipated the demand for digital textile printing in India and the subcontinent.
