Sawgrass Industrial specialises in high-end dye-sub technology and water-based pigment inks with brands including SubliM and M-Inks. Its products are primarily used for applications including fashion, sportswear and home decor.

The business operates mainly in Europe and the Americas and serves clients both directly and through dealers.

Sawgrass and JK Group have have signed a binding agreement and the acquisition is expected to complete by the end of this month.

The acquisition further expands JK Group’s portfolio of advanced inks that are compatible with a wide variety of digital printing equipment.

Sawgrass chief executive and founder Nathan Hale said: “We built the digital sublimation business starting in 1988 and expanded into industrial markets a decade ago.

“Now that digital mass production is a reality for printing onto textiles, this is a perfect time to form a strong alliance to deliver on what was just a dream.”

JK Group president Dennis Wilby added: “Following the combination of Kiian Digital and J-Teck3 last year, the addition of Sawgrass Industrial takes the JK Group into a global leadership position in the digital sublimation sector and at the forefront of the textile pigment inks market development.”