Blue Star’s bonanza justifies new equipment strategy

9 September 2004

According to Keith Brodie, Chief Executive Officer, Blue Star Print Group (BSPG) the company’s business units performed well, with several posting exceptional results. He singled out Webstar Australia as a star performer.

“Webstar Australia now holds a strong position in quality heatset web printing and continues to be BSPG’s fastest growth business unit. This year’s profit contribution from Webstar Australia was significantly ahead of last year and ahead of expectations,” he said. “Webstar NZ continued to grow its commercial revenues following the installation of a Goss Magnum 16 page heatset press in March 2004.”

BSPG’s six sheetfed business units (two in Australia and four in New Zealand) all demonstrated profit growth on the back of new press installations and the successful implementation of new business strategies. In addition, BSPG’s integrated print management offer delivered both additional revenue and a more profitable product mix.

“Throughout the year and continuing into the 2004/05 financial year BSPG has invested and will continue to invest in major capital equipment additions and replacements. This programme will provide increased capacity and improved efficiency across a number of business units and will complement and service the ongoing revenue growth,” said Brodie.

Included in this programme are:
  • Five new Heidelberg 8- and 10-colour sheetfed presses which have been or are being installed into four BSPG business units from May 2004 through to January 2005. These presses are essentially replacement presses. However as they are substantially more productive than incumbent presses overall sheetfed capacity across BSPG will increase.

  • In August 2004 Webstar Australia commissioned a fully automated Ferag bindery line resulting in both operational and productivity improvements and a significant lift in bindery capacity.

  • A Heidelberg M850 32-page Web offset press has been ordered for Webstar Australia. This press installation will result in a significant increase in capacity with anticipated commissioning in December 2004.

  • A number of bindery and pre-press equipment upgrades are underway across the group ensuring that BSPG benefits from latest technology and capitalises on growth opportunities.



    • BSPG turned over $338.6 million last financial year and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $44.4 million, compared to revenue of $296.1 million and EBITDA of $32.4 million in the previous year. Net profit after tax of $9.4 million compared to $1.4 million in the previous year.

    The group generated cash flow from operating activities, net of interest and tax payments, of $28.8 million. Overall net debt at 30 June 2004 was $90.8 million and total equity and capital funds were $50.1 million. Total assets as at 30 June 2004 were $214.9 million.

    BSPG is a privately owned, Auckland-based New Zealand company. It operates in both Australia and New Zealand with 2004 revenue of NZ$338.6 million split almost 50/50 between its Australian and New Zealand operations.

    BSPG operates the following companies.

    In Australia:

  • Webstar Australia

  • Link

  • Kings

  • Craftsman
  • Logistics

  • Techniche Australia
  • Dunham Bremmer



    • In New Zealand:
  • Webstar NZ

  • Techniche NZ

  • McCollams
  • Nicholson
  • Format
  • Securacopy
  • Printlink

  • Rapid Labels