Masthead International Inc. last month formalized its strategic alliance with Brock Solutions Inc., in the process restructuring its relationship with ABB Inc.

Brock, based in Kitchener, Ontario, engineers and manufactures automated controls used to manage printing presses and drive systems. Brock’s technology — along with that of ABB’s — has been used by Masthead to underpin rebuild and repower projects it has completed at Dow Jones Co., The (Tacoma, Wash.) News Tribune, The Orange County (Calif.) Register and others.

Masthead General Manager Steve Stone said the alliance with Brock will enable Masthead to tailor its services to meet customer requirements more precisely. Prices may also drop, he said.

“This alliance will make our approach toward pricing more aggressive,” he said. Masthead will also tap Brock’s technical expertise to fuel an expansion to new markets, such as mailroom retrofits, which will be enabled by Brock’s control technology.

Hans Wirth, ABB’s manager of sales applications, said ABB will continue to work with Brock. “That relationship is unchanged,” he said.