GBC picks up A.E. Hudson in supply side takeover

The move is the latest in a series of consolidations on the supply side of the industry and reflects the technology transition that has increasingly sidelined traditional general printing suppliers. Hudson stocks a wide array of printing supplies, especially for the small offset sector.

Well-known industry figure, Grant Churchill, managing director of Hudson and chairman of PrintEx07, will move across to the new operation as sales manager of the newly created Commercial Print Solutions division of GBC Australia. Most of the Hudson staff is following him over, including Dick Todd as national sales manager print consumables.

“In order to capitalize on the merger we will form a new sales division which will be solely focused on the commercial print market,” said Stuart Macdonald, managing director of GBC. “Combining our two companies’ strengths will increase our product breadth and provide excellent opportunities to increase efficiencies.”

Reflecting on the changing industry conditions that provided the background to the deal, Churchill was philosophical about the phasing out of the A.E. Hudson brand.

“The move is just one more in a line of mergers and acquisitions that have occurred in the printing industry over the past few years with consolidation occurring in the supply and manufacturing segments and I expect that this trend will continue for many years to come," said Churchill. "I'm pleased to say that this change will benefit our customers as they will be provided with an expanded sales and service team to support their requirements.”

GBC has its own extensive national network of facilities, which to some extent duplicates those of Hudson and the company will move to rationalise its facilities. With self-branded stores in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, A E Hudson covered the remainder of the country through representatives, such as West Graphics Supplies in WA, Graphic Art Supplies in SA and Bilton Graphics in Tasmania. After a transition period the name A.E.Hudson will disappear, although the transaction is an asset, not a company sale.

GBC Australia specializes in document finishing and business mailing solutions and is a wholly owned subsidiary of ACCO Brands Corporation, one of the world’s largest suppliers of branded office products.

For those with an interest in history the original A.E.Hudson was a plate re-grainer in the 1960s, when Doug Churchill, father of Grant and chairman of the company, bought the business and converted it into a general printing supplier.

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