Washington firm to acquire digital printing startup in Springdale

by Paul Gatling ([email protected]) 2,047 views 

Tango Press president and co-founder John Ballentine will continue in a leadership role at Tango Press, which will maintain its business name for the immediate future.

A custom packaging company from the Pacific Northwest has a deal in place to buy Tango Press, a digital printing and packaging startup in Springdale.

The BoxMaker, a manufacturer of digitally printed packaging based in Kent, Wash., says the deal should be completed by the end of 2020. The company launched in 1981 and has offered digitally produced corrugated packaging, display and labels since 2011.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

John Ballentine and Steve Toth started Tango Press in 2016 as an all-digital production plant for corrugated packaging and displays. The company operates in a 15,000-square-foot facility near Interstate 49 in Springdale.

“Tango Press was born from our experiences in the industry and the need to supply clients with short lead time, high graphics printed packaging,” Ballentine, the company president, said in a statement. “Joining The BoxMaker will be a huge step in the advancement of digital printing and converting for the future of the packaging industry. By leveraging the best-in-class equipment, operations, people, service, knowledge and technology, we will be able to extend our offering and hasten our speed to market, allowing us to serve our customers’ needs better than ever.”

By 2022, the digital (inkjet and toner) packaging market will grow by almost 13% annually to exceed $22 billion, according to consulting firm Smithers.

The BoxMaker has seven locations throughout Washington and Oregon.

A spokeswoman for The BoxMaker said Toth will leave the company voluntarily. Ballentine will continue in a leadership role at Tango Press, which will maintain its business name for the immediate future. The company’s 15 employees will remain on staff.

The BoxMaker will have approximately 200 employees when the deal is finalized. No real estate is included in the purchase. However, the Tango Press acquisition is part of a larger multimillion-dollar expansion plan by The BoxMaker, which will also include a purpose-built facility to be constructed near Springdale.