Letters, feedback, get it off your chest: 17 July 2008

Drago Zorec's departure from the printing industry leaves readers aghast; and they aren't all sympathetic.

Re: Australia's most internationally awarded printer, Drago Zorec, closes up shop

I worked for Drago about eight years ago.

I has shocked to read this article but perhaps in some ways not surprised. At the time I worked there, D&D had a reputation as one of the most technologically advanced printing companies in the world. The quality and service provided by D&D was something Drago was very passionate about, his marketing approach was without doubt the best the printing industry had ever seen.

Anyone who had the pleasure of visiting the Richmond facility as a guest knows how unique the experience was. Drago has a gift when it comes to making a person feel as if they are the only concern for D&D from the time they entered studio 101 till the time Drago personally saw them off. He orchestrated client visits to make the design and printing process fascinating. Dana, Drago's wife and business partner, also played an integral part in the running of the business. I recall Dana waking at the crack of dawn and throwing herself into whatever task was required.

Both Drago and Dana can be assured that the memories of D&D printing will live on.

Unfortunately for Drago and Dana the results from their state-of-the-art photographic studio could arguably be replicated by a camera worth a few thousand dollars and a few cheap Chinese lights. A print illiterate print buyer will almost always go for the best price and to educate buyers is easier said than done.
Imagine what would have happened if they chose an industry that wasn't turned into a commodity over recent years. I guess print buyers no longer perceive exceptional printing as a technology worth paying good money for unlike their HD flat screen TVs.

Jeremy Owens

No use saying it's all too hard; just put your head down and bum up and get on with it.
Steve Pettaras

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Re: Internet print scam comes out of Africa 

In response to Brad Low's concerns about a possible print order scam from Ghana I can confirm that he is very likely one of the many hundreds of printers around Australia (and internationally) that are being targeted by the scams.

I encourage Mr Low to send copies of his e-mail trail of correspondence with this person to Printing Industries scamwatch@printnet.com.au and to check the ScamWatch information area on www.printnet.com.au  that will assist him to identify whether or not he is being scammed.

Tell-tales signs to look out for include:

·  Use of free public e-mail addresses such as yahoo and GMail (Google)

· Contact names often include use of a 'reverend" or similar church related title

· Majority of quotation requests purport to be on behalf of a church or other charitable institutions

· Poor written literacy

· Use of novelty e-mail fonts

· Poor artwork - sometimes only two or three words on an A4 sheet

· Request for freight pre-payment

· Provision of credit card information "for security".

We have received hundreds of scam complaints from our members and from printing companies in the USA, Canada and the UK. We have also had contact from various government agencies and from our affiliated overseas printing associations. From the information we have compiled we will be listing next week on www.printnet.com.au the names currently being used by the scammers. This will help printers to more readily identify them via an internet search.

Printing Industries' members can also contact us directly at any time to have a quotation request checked for verification against our knowledgebase.

Joe Kowalewski
National communications and technical services manager
Printing Industries Association of Australia