When First Impressions went into business as a Melbourne offset printing house with one and two-colour machines in the 1980s, it would have been hard to imagine where the company would end up today.
With the advent of CAD technology, First Impressions started to look into the digital space, and found an untapped well of potential waiting for it.
According to general manager David Douthwaite, within the digital space, especially large format, anything can be branded – from signage to vehicle wraps to point of sale. “We changed the focus of the business to be about branding more than just print,” he said of the company, which now trades as Creative Branding Solutions.
CBS has expanded to become a one-stop shop for design and branding projects, working with end users and trade customers to build consistent brands across a range of products. It operates across the whole spectrum of reproduction using offset, digital, UV direct digital, large format and screen printing.
“Most people who come to us do so because they need help creating a consistent brand across media. We come up with solutions to their branding problems, which is basically how the name came about.
“We control every aspect of the branding and keep it consistent. We go from start to finish, concept to completion. It doesn’t matter what they come to us for, we can pretty much handle it here,” said Douthwaite.
The company, which has been owned by the Harris and Vear families since the late 1980s, now employs a team of eight printers and graphic designers. “It’s a family business, so we pretty much all pitch in and do everything around here,” said Douthwaite.
The company motto is: if you need a logo on it, we do it. CBS not only performs traditional flat sheet and large format work, it produces clothing and vehicle wrapping and uses digital UV printing to print directly to pens, compendiums, diaries, and even sunscreen bottles.
To expand its product offerings, the company recently invested in a Konica Minolta bizhub PRESS C1070 digital press printer, which David Douthwaite says has been a real boon for flat sheet production at his business.
“The C1070’s been a fantastic addition. It’s got a good amount of flexibility in its operation. Its front to back alignment has made that digital space reasonable for us,” he said.
The C1070 has helped CBS bring most of its small to medium jobs back in house, where previously it had to hire external printers.
“This gives us greater control, turnaround times and profitability,” he said.
The company was unsure if it would invest in another sheet fed digital printer after problems with its previous machine. Unable to deliver the output CBS needed, it had issues with front-back alignment and colour consistency – then it broke down altogether.
Senior staff changed their minds, however, and chose the C1070 after being impressed with a demonstration from Konica Minolta.
“It’s been working really well for a few months now, it’s very good. Previously, no matter the printer, front to back and colour consistency have always been issues. With the C1070 we’ve been able to take products to customers and they’ve been pleasantly surprised with the result. They can’t believe it was done on a digital machine,” Douthwaite said.
Shane Hosking, Victorian Sales Manager - Specialised Print at Konica Minolta, says both he and CBS were pleased with how the install went. "It was very smooth and efficient. The client couldn’t believe how simple and easy the transition was and how minimal the disruption was to their business," he said.
Hosking is looking forward to working with CBS again, and says the new C1070 has already helped his client increase production volumes. "CBS is an excellent client, we’ve had the company on board now coming up three months. The partnership has been a very positive one – it’s win-win for both of us," he said.
As for what’s next for CBS, Douthwaite says that the company will look to grow its short run digital products. “It’s a relatively new space we’ve moved into, and we’re looking to expand that side of our business,” he said. It’s a far cry from two-colour printing on drafting film, that’s for sure.