Wellington, Aug 9 NZPA - Printer Wickliffe Ltd is merging with Kalamazoo, a privately-owned printing company with links to India.

An Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union spokesman said a union representative expects to be briefed tomorrow. The union has heard about the merger but would know more after speaking to the company. Wickliffe employs 25 people in Auckland and about 70 in Christchurch, according to the union.

Kalamazoo is owned by husband and wife team Steve and Odelia D'Souza. A spokeswoman for Kalamazoo, who did not identify herself confirmed the merger.

It employs 102 people at plants in Auckland and Christchurch as has links to a large D'Souza family printing business in Bangalore, according to ProPrint, a print industry magazine.

Kalamazoo has been growing via acquisition, buying Computer Forms in May 2005, Raven Print in February 2007, Wyatt & Wilson in April 2009, and Publishing Press in September last year.

Wickliffe Ltd was founded in 1948 and is a family owned New Zealand business. Its shareholders include Warren Leslie of Wanaka, according to the companies office.

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