Westman Group and Reacon are transforming commercial print through data expertise and advanced technology. With Australia’s first FUJIFILM Jet Press 1160CF, it delivers high-quality, end-to-end solutions, boosting efficiency, expanding capabilities, and setting new speed and flexibility standards.
Commercial print clients across retail, corporate, banking, telecommunications and government sectors need end-to-end solutions – from campaign planning through data handling to final delivery.
Westman Group is rising to the challenge by combining Reacon’s reputation for innovation in data-driven production with its own established reliability, relationships, scale, and logistics capabilities.
In May-June 2024, Reacon installed Australia’s first FUJIFILM Jet Press 1160CF continuous‑feed inkjet press, delivering offset‑quality output at digital speed. Following Westman’s acquisition of Reacon in early 2025, the two businesses were unified and consolidated into a single location, enabling clients to continue receiving seamless, end‑to‑end service without disruption to output.
Combining strengths
The two well-known and established companies combined complementary strengths – Westman’s established reliability and national scale rounding out Reacon’s reputation for innovation and data expertise.
“Earlier this year we completed the full integration – bringing both organisations under one unified operating structure,” explains Vik Gulati, managing director of Westman. “Clients now experience one seamless brand that stands for scale, technical excellence and consistent quality.”
The timing proved strategic. As both businesses consolidated into a single new location, Australia’s first Jet Press 1160CF was added to the site, introducing continuous-feed inkjet technology and marking a significant step forward in high-volume commercial production printing.
First in Australia
The Jet Press 1160CF delivers up to 160m/minute at 1200 x 600 dpi, with the option to run at 1200 x 1200 dpi at 80m/minute for jobs requiring maximum detail. The 520mm web width – more than double the previous 250mm – fundamentally changes production economics in the print sector.
“The Jet Press 1160CF’s near-offset quality has opened new categories of work that previously required traditional offset or specialised trade suppliers,” notes Gulati. “Clients said it is difficult to distinguish Jet Press output from offset and several have specifically transitioned work to us after seeing side-by-side comparisons.”
Where value lives
Understanding the needs of today’s clients is one area where Reacon add value. While printing is integral, building trust and offering data security are key.
For example, the company manages data for financial institutions and telecommunications providers – clients who trust them with sensitive client information, including personalised data for loyalty and rewards programs and targeted campaigns. Delivering an efficient and economical service is equally important.
“The printing is great, but what happens before the printing starts is where the value is,” Singh emphasises. “We need to interpret the shared data accurately and help clients personalise messaging and deliver targeted content that resonates with their customers.
“With our team of five developers and coders, we apply those insights to our print workflows. Before XMF PressReady, we were spending close to 2.5 hours on data-heavy files. With it, that’s cut down to 15-20 minutes.”
A loyalty card program demonstrates the practical impact. Previously, high-quality cards with six variable data points required offset printing for base imagery, then overprinting on inkjet devices for personalisation, followed by die-cutting and delivery.
“The quality we can achieve with the Jet Press 1160CF means clients receive faster execution and lower costs since this job now runs as a single pass,” Singh explains.
Flexibility under pressure
The business integration’s true test came during physical consolidation. Moving two factories to a third location while maintaining client deadlines required near-seamless production agility.
“The advantage that Jet Press 1160CF gives is, because of its near-offset quality, we could take jobs off our offset press and put them on the Jet Press during those weeks the offset press was down. And when we were moving the Jet Press, we could do vice versa,” recalls Singh.
The ability to shift work easily between machines ensured client deadlines were never compromised, even during complex facility moves.
Partnership economics
Gulati’s relationship with FUJIFILM Business Innovation Australia (FBAU) spans 15 years, through growth and tough times. “In any relationship you have strains and stresses,” he notes. “When we were going through a difficult phase, Fujifilm was there to work through the problems constructively.”
The Jet Press 1160CF installation showcased this collaborative approach. “We had Jack Starnawski, senior solution analyst at FBAU, pretty much living at our site for weeks. Without him, it would have been very hard,” Singh recalls.
Technical productivity enhancements
The Jet Press 1160CF offers flexibility in matching production speed to job requirements. “There’s two speeds,” Singh explains. “For maximum detail at 1200 x 1200 dpi, you run at 80m/minute. But visually, most can’t tell the difference between that and 1200 x 600, so standard commercial work runs at 160m/min.”
The 520mm web width on the Jet Press 1160CF improves production cost-efficiency through intelligent slitting and job ganging. Multiple formats can run simultaneously across the web, boosting substrate use and lowering per-unit costs for clients. Additionally, Reacon is also testing imported matte-coated substrates not readily available in Australia, which will open additional premium applications for the Jet Press 1160CF, once validated.
Fleet integration
Reacon’s complete production environment also includes two Revoria Press PC1120, Iridesse Press, Acuity Prime Hybrid for wide-format, Epson SurePress for end-to-end label manufacturing and finishing, and traditional offset.
The team assesses and assigns each job individually, balancing resolution against delivery timelines to ensure the best outcome for the client.
“The two Revoria presses are our workhorses for core CMYK production,” Singh notes. “The hybrid and wide-format solutions open new markets. The Jet Press 1160CF occupies the high-volume, high-speed, quality-critical segment previously requiring offset.”
Data security and national reach
The company’s client base spans small local businesses to national and international organisations with stringent data security requirements.
“Financial institutions are confident entrusting us with sensitive work because they recognise the strength of our data security systems and the rigour of our certifications,” Singh notes. “This capability underpins our end-to-end service offering – from data strategy and multi-channel campaign management through to final delivery.”
National reach operates through centralised production. “We’re delivering from NSW into WA, Victoria and the ACT – we have in-house logistics, so it’s literally door-to-door,” Gulati explains.
Looking ahead
The company’s strategic focus combines technology leverage with service expansion. “We want to expand our national market share in retail, government, education and personalised communications,” Gulati explains.
“We’re investing in further automation and developing new offerings that combine data, personalisation and premium print, bringing those elements together as a complete marketplace offering.”
For clients, the blend of Westman’s well-established position with Reacon’s data expertise ensures continued trusted services supported by increased capacity. The Jet Press 1160CF technology forms the production backbone, offering a market-differentiated range of services with the quality and speed demanded by modern commercial printing.
This article was first published in the May-June 2026 edition of Print21, page 28.
