The Israeli firm made its offer on Tuesday (9 April), and is awaiting formal approval from the French courts.

If approved, Marc Blanpain, currently president of Xeikon Japan, would become director general of Nipson.

"We are proposing to buy some assets and some intellectual property, and are committed to employing 266 of the staff," Blanpain said. "The offer has been made to the court, now it all depends on its decision."

Blanpain said the firm had the potential to blossom as an independent entity. "We will have more people devoted to sales than we have now, and will double our level of activity."

The proposed new ownership structure is complicated. It involves Koonras and some of the shareholders of BPI, a long-term Xeikon distributor.

It was expected that 20-30% of the staff in Xeikons black-and-white division would lose their jobs, and Koonras proposed 266 figure is at the lower end of this scale.
The courts verdict is expected next Monday (15 April).

Story by Jo Francis at Ipex