Blue Star is pressing on with its aggressive expansion strategy in the wake of last month’s cancelled ASX float by parent company IVE Group.
Sydney-based Blue Star has signed a Heads of Agreement deal to acquire leading digital and sheetfed printer Oxygen.
Oxygen’s operation in St.Leonards will be integrated into Blue Star’s digital and sheetfed facility in Silverwater. Blue Star Print NSW GM Hugh Chisholm will continue to lead the business, with Oxygen shareholders Scott Telfer and Anthony Dickinson assuming senior roles.
“Oxygen is highly regarded within the industry, with a strong reputation for quality, innovation and service,” said Blue Star CEO Matt Aitken. “We look forward to having Scott and key members of his team join Blue Star and are excited about the enhanced value proposition Blue Star can provide Oxygen’s clients.”
"The opportunity for us to join Blue Star is unique given the depth and breadth of their offering,” said Oxygen MD Scott Telfer. “I look forward to presenting our clients with many of their services, such as personalised communications, retail display and Augmented Reality. It just makes sense for us to join Blue Star and I can see our customers getting very real benefits from this.”
Blue Star is a division of IVE Group, one of Australia’s largest communications businesses, which last month called off its planned float on the ASX. IVE consists of 3 operating divisions - Blue Star (which includes Blue Star Print, Blue Star Web, Blue Star Display, Blue Star Direct, Blue Star Promote, and Blue Star Connect), Iveo (managed solutions) and Kalido (creative and marketing services). IVE employs 1,000 people in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane. The group services all major industry sectors including financial services, publishing, retail, healthcare, communications, property, clubs and associations, not-for-profit, utilities, manufacturing, education and government.
Oxygen is medium size sheetfed printer operating on the lower North Shore of Sydney. Oxygen offers both offset and digital print capabilities along with sourcing of offshore printed material.