Blue Software, a label and artwork management software company based in Chicago, has been acquired by Esko.

The combination of Blue’s software with the Esko Platform for Brands will lead to a higher level of service for regional and multinational customers, and improve product packaging development for brand owners and suppliers.

Udo Panenka, president of Esko, explained, ‘We are relentlessly seeking to reduce time to market, cost and quality risk in the end-to-end packaging value chain. The acquisition of Blue will improve all three, enhancing Esko’s position as a tech innovator in the packaging industry.’

‘In today’s compliance-constrained and e-commerce-driven environment where consumers ceaselessly look for something new and novel, packaging artwork and labelling continues to be a bottleneck in the new product development and commercialisation process. Blue helps users collaborate faster and more accurately so they can launch new products more frequently at lower cost. These two companies coming together is truly a transformational moment for the packaging industry,’ added Ali Moosani, president of Blue.