Smartech relocates HQ from Hong Kong to Sydney
Smartech Business Systems, an Asia Pacific provider of graphic technology solutions, which bought local graphics and mailing industry supplier Quodient, (formely Neopost), has relocated its global headquarters from Hong Kong to Sydney.
The company says the move will enable it to invest in the more resilient Australian economy, and to keep Australian jobs in the country after its acquisition of Quadient Oceania in January.
It says the relocation of its headquarters to Australia is in part due to the resilience of the Australian economy through the pandemic, and due to the "immense growth opportunities" identified in energy, resources, technology, and food and beverages.
Hong Kong remains a mainstay of Smartech’s Asian business, and home to its major Asian customers, whom it will continue to invest in.
Vincent Nair, president and CEO of Smartech Business Systems, led the company through the early loss-making years in 2016 to double-digit year on year EBIT growth, with targeted revenues of $80m in 2021. Along the way, Smartech self-funded its latest acquisition in Australia.
“Australian investors are choosing to invest their money closer to home, and to back companies that directly participate in the Australian economy. Due to the complexities of running an international business head-quartered in Hong Kong, at a time of significant political unrest, we took the decision to relocate our HQ to my home country,” said Nair.
Smartech, which employs 135 staff in Australia alone, was a long-term partner of Quadient, and has now become the channel partner of its mailroom automation mail-related solutions, and has taken over its graphics technologies and software business in Australia and New Zealand. Smartech is now responsible for 19,000 customers in the region across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
“Smartech is a central partner in Australia and New Zealand representing the best and proven technology manufacturers in the world, including Quadient, HP, Epson, LG and Canon. We pride ourselves on delivering technology and service excellence on behalf of our global partners,” continued Nair.
Nair himself has 26 years of experience in senior executive positions for Fortune 500 technology companies including HP, Unisys, WIPRO Technologies, Lucent Alcatel Technologies, and Fuji Xerox. He was also the vice president of Pitney Bowes Asia Pacific, Africa and Middle East.
Smartech is currently on the acquisition trail, and hopes to complement its existing business portfolio with more key acquisitions in the cybersecurity and big data analytics sectors, as well as to boost its reseller network across the Oceanic region.
Nair said: “The decision to acquire Quadient Oceania was a natural fit for our overall business model and came at a time when Australia was entering its first Covid lockdown.”
The eCommerce, print, mailing, inserter and sortation software business now complements Smartech’s three existing business divisions, that offer software and IT managed services, hotel technology solutions, as well as business systems relocation services. The company wants to grow further and has plans to recruit technology and sales specialists across Australia.
“It’s a great privilege to be working with an international board of directors, including Texas based chairman David Moore, and leading a company and that uses its technology and customer service expertise to deliver products and solutions that have a positive impact on companies and end-users alike. Our culture here is simple; we’re here to serve and nurture our customers, help our employees grow and deliver value to our stakeholders,” concluded Nair.