Trade printer CMYKhub has opened a new digital and wide format production facility in Cairns, investing in two HP Indigo presses from Currie Group and two Mimaki printers from Spicers to serve its expanding Far North Queensland market.
“We’ve decided to relocate our North Queensland production hub from Port Douglas to Cairns to maximise our ability to better service a broader geographical area, which now includes Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, Cairns and Port Douglas,” says Carl Stobie, general manager CMYKhub QLD.
The leading trade printer has sold the offset press at its former Port Douglas production centre and reinvested in a range of new equipment for its Cairns facility, including two new HP Indigo printers from Currie Group.
“We decided not to continue with offset printing in the region as our old five colour press at Port Douglas had become outdated and didn’t measure up to our national print quality standards set by the other presses in our network,” Stobie says. “We brought the HP flatbed and the existing finishing equipment. Everything else is a new investment.”
Stobie says the company has increased its investment in digital and wide format because “it’s the best fit for the local area. We’ve continued with our HP Indigo commitment via Currie Group, by installing a 7r digital press and a 7600. We decided to create a point of difference by installing the only Indigo’s in the region providing the high quality digital alternative.”
The company has also bought six Mimaki presses from Spicers, with two of them already installed in Cairns. “We’ve invested in six Mimaki UCJV’s 300-160 across our Australian network, two of which have been installed at our Cairns Hub. These are LED UV ink 1600mm wide roll-to-roll machines. One 4 colour and one 8 colour, including white ink.
“We’ve also invested at the top end of cutting tables with the Esko Kongsberg X24, which provides a broader range of wide format finishing options,” Stobie says. “We’ve identified a large number of sign writers in the region that could utilise the router cutting and milling as a trade service.”
Staff members at Port Douglas have agreed to relocate to the new plant in Cairns, about 65 kilometres down the coast. “We’ve been very lucky with our staff from Port Douglas,” says Stobie. “We haven’t had to hire anyone new. Their fantastic attitude was a key factor in the decision to move from Port Douglas to Cairns and make substantial reinvestment into the business.”
The investment in Cairns underlines the company’s increased focus on North Queensland. “We are very supportive of the local economy and industry, and we are genuinely excited to be a part of it and help contribute to it. While most manufactures are choosing to shift work down south, we felt the best option was to focus on speed to market and provide local support for resellers in the region. We understand many have tried and failed with this approach over the years but we back our model to stand up and last the distance.”
The new Cairns production hub is scheduled to be officially launched at an open night beginning at 6pm on 9 August. All members of the trade in the region are welcome to attend for an evening of education, ideas and networking, including the announcement of new product and service initiatives tailored specifically for the North Queensland market.