中文Q360 Group has acquired The Flexo Factor, a Monroe, North Carolina-based supplier of flexographic cleaning supplies, pressroom equipment and on-site training and consulting, as it builds toward a single-source pressroom partner for flexo printers and converters. Terms were not disclosed.
Flexo Factor brings three decades of anilox-cleaning research and a full catalogue of anilox, plate and press-cleaning products, together with an online purchasing portal, on-site training, consulting and a technical help line. It strengthens Q360’s Consumables & Supplies pillar — which sits alongside its Parts, Equipment and Services pillars — and extends the cleaning range already offered through Q360’s Supercell ultrasonic roll-cleaning systems. Q360 also carries a range of tapes as a licensed 3M Master Distributor, alongside Tesa and other brands.
The deal is the latest step in an acquisition programme led by CEO Todd Sweeney. “The Flexo Factor has spent 30 years solving one of the most persistent problems in the pressroom: keeping anilox rolls and plates clean so presses run at full productivity,” Sweeney said. He was careful to signal continuity: “Steve and his team built a brand that converters trust, and we intend to build on it, not change it.”
Sweeney framed the acquisition as part of a strategy of partnering with founder-led businesses that share Q360’s commitment to the flexographic industry, and said the company welcomes conversations with owners considering their next chapter. For Flexo Factor’s customers, nothing changes on day one: the same team, products, online portal and help line remain in place, while Q360’s parts, equipment and field service become available through a single relationship. Q360’s existing customers, in turn, gain access to Flexo Factor’s cleaning catalogue and anilox expertise.
Steven Wilkinson, owner and president of The Flexo Factor, said Q360 shares his focus on the people running the press. “Joining Q360 gives our customers access to parts, equipment and field service alongside the cleaning products and training they already count on, and it gives our team the resources to serve them even better,” he said.
In a pressroom where dirty anilox rolls quietly erode productivity and print quality, the combination of deep cleaning expertise with broad service coverage is exactly the integrated proposition Q360 is assembling — one acquisition at a time.
Flexo Factor brings three decades of anilox-cleaning research and a full catalogue of anilox, plate and press-cleaning products, plus an online purchasing portal, on-site training, consulting and a technical help line. It slots into Q360’s Consumables & Supplies pillar — alongside Parts, Equipment and Services — and extends the cleaning range already offered through Q360’s Supercell ultrasonic roll-cleaning systems. Q360 also distributes tapes as a licensed 3M Master Distributor alongside Tesa and others.
For CEO Todd Sweeney, the deal fits a deliberate pattern: partnering with founder-led businesses that share Q360’s commitment to flexography. “Steve and his team built a brand that converters trust, and we intend to build on it, not change it,” he said, signalling continuity for Flexo Factor’s customers, who keep the same team, products, portal and help line from day one.
For Flexo Factor owner Steven Wilkinson, the upside is reach. Joining Q360 gives his customers access to parts, equipment and field service alongside the cleaning products and training they already rely on, while giving his team resources to serve them better. In a pressroom where dirty anilox rolls quietly erode productivity, the combination of cleaning expertise and broad service coverage is exactly the single-source proposition Q360 is building toward.
Flexo Factor brings three decades of anilox-cleaning research and a full catalogue of anilox, plate and press-cleaning products, plus an online purchasing portal, on-site training, consulting and a technical help line. It slots into Q360’s Consumables & Supplies pillar – alongside Parts, Equipment and Services – and extends the cleaning range already offered through Q360’s Supercell ultrasonic roll-cleaning systems. Q360 also distributes tapes as a licensed 3M Master Distributor alongside Tesa and others.
For CEO Todd Sweeney, the deal fits a deliberate pattern: partnering with founder-led businesses that share Q360’s commitment to flexography. Steve and his team built a brand that converters trust, and we intend to build on it, not change it, he said, signalling continuity for Flexo Factor’s customers, who keep the same team, products, portal and help line from day one.
For Flexo Factor owner Steven Wilkinson, the upside is reach. Joining Q360 gives his customers access to parts, equipment and field service alongside the cleaning products and training they already rely on, while giving his team resources to serve them better. In a pressroom where dirty anilox rolls quietly erode productivity, the combination of cleaning expertise and broad service coverage is exactly the single-source proposition Q360 is building toward.
The strategic logic is compelling. Anilox cleanliness is the silent determinant of print quality and press uptime; neglected rolls drift in cell volume and transfer efficiency, costing converters far more than the cleaning products themselves. By wrapping that expertise inside a broader pressroom offering, Q360 reduces the number of vendor relationships a printer must manage – and positions itself as the default call when something on the press needs fixing, supplying, or simply kept clean. Expect more founder-led acquisitions as the group assembles its full-service roster.
Source: https://www.labelsandlabeling.com/news/ma/q360-acquires-flexo-factor
