Electronics for Imaging
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA digital printing technology company known for Fiery digital front ends and industrial inkjet systems.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Electronics for Imaging, commonly known as EFI, is a Silicon Valley–based technology company focused on digital printing, industrial inkjet, and print-production workflow systems. Founded in San Francisco in 1989 by Israeli entrepreneur Efi Arazi, the company first became prominent through Fiery, a digital front end and raster image processor that enabled color copiers and later production printers to handle sophisticated digital-printing workflows. Fiery systems interpret and process print files, manage color, and prepare rasterized output for a range of production devices. EFI expanded beyond digital front ends through a series of acquisitions in wide-format, industrial, textile, and specialty inkjet printing. Its purchase of VUTEk in 2005 gave it a major position in superwide-format printers used for signs, displays, and graphics. The company subsequently acquired ink-production capabilities, Raster Printers, Cretaprint, Matan Digital Printers, and Reggiani Macchine. These transactions broadened EFI's scope from software and printer controllers into complete industrial printing platforms serving signage, packaging, ceramic tile, building materials, textiles, and related markets. The acquisition of Cretaprint in 2012 was particularly important because it brought single-pass inkjet expertise. Single-pass systems can move substrates through a printer in a continuous production process rather than relying exclusively on repeated scanning passes. EFI used this capability in products for ceramic tile, corrugated packaging, wood and decorative panels, signage, fiber-cement materials, and other industrial applications. The Reggiani acquisition in 2015 established EFI in digital textile printing, while the company's later Reggiani BOLT platform became one of its most prominent high-speed textile systems. EFI entered the textile-printing market formally in 2015 with the acquisition of Italian manufacturer Reggiani Macchine. In 2016 it acquired Optitex, a company associated with three-dimensional digital workflow and apparel-related design tools. These moves reflected an effort to connect printing hardware with digital design, production planning, and industry-specific workflow software. In 2019, EFI announced an agreement to be acquired by Siris Capital Group in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.7 billion. The transaction took EFI private. EFI later separated its productivity-software operations from its remaining printing businesses. In January 2022, the company completed the sale of its eProductivity Software print and packaging software business to Symphony Technology Group. After that divestment, EFI was organized primarily around EFI Fiery and EFI Inkjet. Fiery provides digital front ends, workflow applications, cloud-based management tools, and self-service printing systems, while EFI Inkjet supplies wide-format, superwide-format, textile, packaging, building-materials, and ceramic-printing equipment. Fiery systems are used with hardware from multiple printer manufacturers, including Canon, Konica Minolta, Ricoh, and Xerox, rather than being limited to one printer brand. The business also includes software for color management, prepress automation, imposition, nesting, variable-data printing, job management, and print-fleet intelligence. EFI IQ extends this model with cloud-based production monitoring and business analytics, while EFI Self-Serve supports walk-up printing in environments such as schools, libraries, hotels, and retail locations. EFI's current identity is therefore that of a specialized business-to-business printing technology company rather than a consumer electronics brand. Its competitive position rests on combining print servers and workflow software with industrial inkjet hardware, inks, application knowledge, and production support. The company operates internationally, with principal facilities and development activity in the United States, India, Germany, and other locations. The Fiery business was separated from EFI in 2023 and acquired by Epson in 2024, leaving EFI principally associated with its inkjet operations.
History
Electronics for Imaging was established in San Francisco in 1989 by Efi Arazi. Its original business centered on digital front ends, especially the Fiery print server. Fiery technology supplied the processing layer required to convert digital documents into color-separated, rasterized files that digital printers could reproduce accurately. Although early applications included color copiers and office environments, Fiery systems later became widely used with higher-volume production printers in commercial print shops and in-plant facilities. The company gradually expanded from print processing into hardware, inks, and industry-specific production systems. In 2005 it acquired VUTEk, a manufacturer of superwide-format inkjet printers. This move gave EFI a platform for signage, display graphics, and other large-format applications. EFI followed with an acquisition related to ink manufacturing in 2006 and purchased Raster Printers in 2008, increasing its control over wide-format inkjet technologies. In 2012, EFI acquired Spanish ceramic-printing specialist Cretaprint. The transaction added expertise in digital printing for ceramic tiles and introduced single-pass capabilities that later influenced EFI's industrial printer development. EFI applied these technologies to corrugated packaging, signage, wood and decorative panels, fiber-cement products, and other building materials. In 2015, the company acquired Matan Digital Printers, an Israeli producer of roll-to-roll UV inkjet systems, and Reggiani Macchine, an Italian textile-printer manufacturer. Reggiani brought EFI into digital textile production, including high-speed dye-sublimation and direct-to-textile applications. EFI continued to add digital workflow capabilities through its 2016 acquisition of Optitex, which provided three-dimensional digital workflow technology relevant to apparel and textile design. During this period the company combined Fiery digital front ends and workflow software with VUTEk, Reggiani, Cretaprint, and other inkjet platforms. The resulting portfolio served commercial printers, sign and display producers, packaging converters, textile manufacturers, ceramic-tile producers, and makers of industrial building products. In April 2019, EFI announced that Siris Capital Group would acquire the company in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.7 billion. The transaction moved EFI from public-market ownership into private ownership. EFI subsequently reorganized its software activities. In January 2022, it completed the sale of its eProductivity Software print and packaging software business to Symphony Technology Group. The divestment left EFI focused principally on two areas: EFI Fiery and EFI Inkjet. EFI Fiery comprised digital front ends, raster image processing, color management, prepress automation, imposition and nesting, variable-data workflows, job management, and cloud-based production intelligence. Its systems were designed to operate with printers from multiple manufacturers, including Canon, Konica Minolta, Ricoh, and Xerox. EFI IQ extended the portfolio into cloud-based print-fleet monitoring and business analytics, while EFI Self-Serve supported public or walk-up printing in locations such as schools, libraries, hotels, and stores. EFI Inkjet became the company's principal hardware-oriented business. It manufactures or markets UV, UV LED, and dye-sublimation systems for wide-format and superwide-format graphics, as well as industrial printers for textiles, corrugated packaging, ceramic tiles, wood products, and construction materials. The Reggiani BOLT was presented as a high-speed textile platform, with reference material describing output of up to 90 linear meters per minute in 2022. The Fiery business was separated from EFI in 2023 and acquired by Epson in 2024. As a result, EFI's contemporary identity is more closely tied to industrial inkjet equipment, inks, and application-specific printing systems, while Fiery operates under new ownership. EFI has also faced controversy. In 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor found wage and hour violations involving eight Indian IT technicians assigned to EFI's Fremont relocation project. The workers were paid in rupees at rates that fell below California requirements, and EFI characterized the issue as an administrative error. The company was fined and ordered to pay back wages. Reference material also reports a 2026 explosion at an EFI facility in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, involving partial building collapse and injuries to three employees.
- 2024
Epson acquired Fiery
[1]Epson purchased the separated Fiery digital front-end and workflow business.
- 2023
Fiery separated from EFI
[1]The Fiery business was separated from the remaining EFI operations.
- 2022
eProductivity Software sold
[1]EFI completed the sale of its print and packaging software business to Symphony Technology Group.
- 2019
Siris Capital announced acquisition of EFI
[1]EFI agreed to an approximately $1.7 billion all-cash acquisition, taking the company private.
- 2016
Optitex acquired
[1]EFI added three-dimensional digital workflow technology associated with textile and apparel applications.
- 2015
Reggiani Macchine acquired
[1]The acquisition established EFI in digital textile printing.
- 2014
California wage violation resolved
[1]The U.S. Department of Labor fined EFI and ordered back-payments following wage and hour violations involving workers on a Fremont project.
- 2012
Cretaprint acquired
[1]EFI entered a stronger position in ceramic-tile printing and gained single-pass inkjet expertise.
- 2008
Raster Printers acquired
[1]The acquisition strengthened EFI's wide-format inkjet technology portfolio.
- 2006
Ink-manufacturing capability added
[1]EFI acquired its principal ink-manufacturing facility, supporting its growing inkjet business.
Products and positioning
A specialized business-to-business provider of digital print workflow, industrial inkjet, and production-printing technology for commercial, packaging, signage, textile, ceramic, and building-material applications.
Digital front ends and print workflow software · 1989
Fiery
Fiery is EFI's foundational digital-printing platform. Its digital front ends combine dedicated computer hardware with raster image processing, color management, job preparation, and production controls. Fiery systems are used with toner and inkjet production printers from multiple manufacturers. The broader portfolio includes prepress automation, imposition and nesting, variable-data workflows, job routing, and tools for managing multiple print devices.
Wide-format and superwide-format inkjet printers
VUTEk
VUTEk became part of EFI through the 2005 acquisition of VUTEk Inc. The product family serves signmakers, display-graphics producers, and other businesses requiring large-format or superwide-format output. EFI's VUTEk portfolio helped establish the company as a printer and inkjet-systems supplier rather than solely a provider of digital print controllers.
Digital textile printers · 2015
Reggiani
Reggiani is EFI's textile-printing platform, originating with the acquisition of Italian manufacturer Reggiani Macchine in 2015. The range addresses digital textile production and includes systems for direct-to-textile and related industrial applications. The Reggiani BOLT is a high-speed single-pass textile printer designed for larger-scale production and was described in reference material as capable of speeds up to 90 linear meters per minute in 2022.
Single-pass industrial inkjet printers
Nozomi
Nozomi represents EFI's single-pass industrial inkjet approach, particularly in corrugated packaging and related production applications. Single-pass systems print as substrates move through the machine, supporting high-throughput production compared with conventional scanning or multi-pass architectures. EFI has also applied comparable industrial inkjet capabilities to signage, decorative panels, flooring, and building materials.
Ceramic tile printing systems · 2012
Cretaprint
Cretaprint entered EFI's portfolio through the 2012 acquisition of a Spanish ceramic-printing company. The platform supports digital decoration of ceramic tiles and contributed single-pass inkjet expertise that EFI later applied to additional industrial substrates, including packaging and construction-related materials.
Cloud print management and business intelligence
EFI IQ
EFI IQ is a suite of cloud-based tools for monitoring print production and analyzing operational data. It is intended to help commercial and industrial print providers understand machine utilization, job performance, production status, and other business indicators across connected equipment.
Self-service printing systems
EFI Self-Serve
EFI Self-Serve products support walk-up printing in settings such as schools, libraries, hotels, and retail environments. The systems allow users to submit documents from USB devices, mobile devices, or cloud accounts and print them through connected digital-printing equipment.
Controversies
2014
California wage and hour violations
The U.S. Department of Labor found that eight IT technicians brought from Bangalore for EFI's Fremont network installation were paid in rupees at rates below California's wage requirements. Some reporting also described extremely long working weeks. EFI characterized the incident as an administrative error and said the workers continued receiving Indian compensation and a special assignment bonus. The company paid a civil penalty and back wages.
Brand decisions
2023
Separate the Fiery businessStrategyBackground
Following the sale of eProductivity Software, EFI continued to streamline its corporate structure.
Action taken
EFI separated Fiery from its remaining operations.
Aftermath
Fiery was subsequently acquired by Epson in 2024, while EFI remained primarily associated with inkjet technology.
2022
Sell eProductivity SoftwareM&ABackground
EFI reorganized after becoming privately owned and sought to focus its remaining operations on Fiery and industrial inkjet.
Action taken
EFI completed the sale of its eProductivity Software print and packaging software business to Symphony Technology Group.
Aftermath
The divestment left EFI centered on Fiery and EFI Inkjet before the subsequent Fiery separation.
2019
Accept Siris Capital acquisitionM&ABackground
EFI announced a transaction intended to take the company private and provide an ownership structure for its next phase of development.
Action taken
EFI entered a definitive agreement to be acquired by Siris Capital Group in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.7 billion.
Aftermath
EFI became privately held and subsequently reorganized its portfolio through business divestments and separations.
Transaction value. Approximately $1.7 billion (2019 announced transaction)
2015
Enter textile printing through ReggianiM&ABackground
EFI sought to extend its industrial inkjet capabilities into textile production.
Action taken
EFI acquired Italian digital textile printer manufacturer Reggiani Macchine.
Aftermath
Textile printing became one of EFI's principal industrial applications and later included high-speed Reggiani platforms.
2005
Acquire VUTEkM&ABackground
EFI had historically emphasized digital front ends and print-processing technology, while VUTEk provided a route into large-format and superwide-format inkjet hardware.
Action taken
EFI acquired VUTEk and expanded its portfolio into signage and display-graphics printing.
Aftermath
The transaction helped establish EFI as a broader inkjet-systems company.
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