Melbourne-based print supply company Kissel & Wolf (Kiwo) has bought NSW screen printing supply competitors JW Agencies and Wilflex Printing Supplies and integrated both businesses into its operation at Revesby in Sydney.
Both companies have been an integral part of the NSW screen printing industry for many years.
“As the leading supplier into the screen printing industry in Australia, the integration of those two companies and their very experienced and versatile staff members makes a lot of sense for us,” says Martin Stacher, managing director of Kiwo. “We’ve had a relationship with both companies for quite a long time and they have been competitors as well as sub-distributers for certain products.”
JW Agencies director Bill Porteous, 69, plans to retire soon and is pleased his legacy will be continued.
“I have been looking for a good solution to ensure the future of my business for a while and with Kiwo I have found the perfect place,” Porteous says. “Not only are we operating in a similar yet not overlapping market space but also the philosophies of JW Agencies and Kiwo are congruent. We are both looking to offer quality products and services to our customer base.”
Porteous plans to stay on with Kiwo for a year or two to ensure a smooth transition for his customers. Stencil-making specialist Tyrone Michael, a long time loyal employee of JW Agencies, has also joined Kiwo.
Troy Lenton, founder of Marrickville-based Wilflex Printing Supplies, established 2003, says he was finding it more difficult in recent times to grow the garment printing supply business that he runs with his wife Tanya.
“Now, being part of a corporate yet family-style outfit like Kiwo will allow me to spend more time out in the market and seeing customers more often,” says Lenton. “The combination of my experience in the market and the complete product range including stencil making will allow us to be even more successful.”
Kiwo Australia, based at Tullamarine in Melbourne, employs about 20 staff in Victoria and 10 in Sydney.
Stacher says Kiwo continues to look out for more growth opportunities. “If something make sense to us, why not? That’s one way to grow the business and we are looking at growing in all three areas of the market we cater to: digital printing, screen printing, and specialty printing on metal and glass.”