Norwood Marking Systems, recognized worldwide for its high-quality thermal transfer and hot stamp printing equipment, announces that Allen Coding Systems has joined the ITW family of companies. Allen Coding Systems, a U.K.-based manufacturer of premium contact coding systems, will report to Norwood Marking Systems.

“Norwood and Allen have complementary technologies and synergistic businesses. By working together, we’ll have stronger value propositions and more diversified global operations,” noted Larry Kulik, General Manager of Norwood. “Customers will benefit from broader product lines, which feature best-in-class technologies, as well as more extensive service organizations and expanded R&D capabilities.”

By joining forces, Norwood and Allen and their networks of worldwide distributors and agents will have the widest assortment of thermal transfer printers and hot stamp printers to satisfy the widest range of coding and marking applications. Allen customers will have streamlined access to Norwood’s family of ribbons and type – consumables that compliment the Allen line of equipment. Additionally, Allen’s North American customers will now be able to turn to Norwood’s strong U.S.-based team for technical service and support.

About Allen Coding Systems
Allen Coding Systems has been designing and manufacturing high quality overprinting equipment for almost 30 years. Considered one of the leading U.K. designers of hot stamp and thermal transfer coding systems with over 13,000 installations worldwide, Allen serves companies in the food, pharmaceutical, chemical, cosmetics and other industries. Acquired by ITW in February 2006, the Allen brand continues to be recognized as one of the leading names within the packaging industry.

About Norwood Marking Systems
Norwood Marking Systems, a division of Illinois Tool Works, developed and introduced premium hot stamp imprinters to the food industry over 40 years ago. Today, Norwood designs and manufactures a range of thermal transfer printers, hot stamp imprinters as well as ink and embossing printers that print variable information on packaging materials and labels. These systems bring increased security and tracking with real-time data such as UPC, lot and production codes, expiration and sell-by dates, which are produced in-line as products are packaged.