Ascent Partners director, Richard Rasmussen, reflects on November’s major business sales, acquisitions, closures, consolidations and relocations. A large volume of machinery sales and installations are also reported.
Market Movements:
No prizes for guessing the leading news story last month – the sale of Bluestar’s Australian operation to Caxton Web / Wolseley Private Equity.
Further consolidation of major plants continued with News Limited closing its Cairns facility and moving it into its Townsville plant. PMP also announced the closure of its Chullora Directories plant.
November also saw further business liquidations – Good impressions (NSW), Brite Solutions (NSW), Kudos Colour (QLD) and a voluntary administration at Hyde Park Press (SA).
In other news,
- Across the Tasman, APN announced they were selling their South Island mastheads Christchurch’s The Star, The Oamaru Mail and Wellington’s Capital Community Newspaper Group)
- Kwik Kopy City (Sydney) store was sold
- Colorpak opened its Brandpak site in Victoria
- Kosdown Printing (VIC) relocated to purpose built factory
The suppliers were also active:
- AIP Private Equity bought Presstek
- EFI bought Technique
- The Printing Industries Association bought Intech Australia
- Pro – Pac bought Source and Sell and Stronghold Wholesale
- Artref WA moved into a new showroom / warehouse
Major Equipment Sales and Installations
November provided a multitude of new machinery sales and installations.
On the offset side, KBA reported 4 new Rapida 105 or 106 presses were installed in the financial year ending 2012, whilst Heidelberg reported they had sold 37 printing units of their new SX range including a sale to Apex Printing in Wellington. A Komori LS 29 installation was reported at Sydney’s Dominion Print Group and a KBA Genius 52 UV was installed at IBIS (QLD).
There were also numerous multiple installations to single printers:
- CMYK Hub (VIC) – Muller E90 gatherer, stitcher, trimmer, 3 x Horizon (PUR binder, folder and Stitchliner), Stahl TH 82, and Indigo 5600
- Greenridge Press (QLD) – Indigo 3550, Polar system, Horizon folder
- Maxam Printing (VIC) – 3 x Horizon (Stitch and trim, folder and PUR binder)
Digital Presses and digital wide format installations included:
- Admark Visual Imaging (NZ) – Epson Surepress (digital label)
- Schoolpix (VIC) – Indigo 5600
- Kawana Signs (QLD) – Oce Arizona 550 GT with Procut
- Smartprint Group (QLD) – Oce Arizona 360 GT
- Clegg Media (QLD) and Catalyst Graphics (NSW) – An Agfa Jetti 3220 Titan wide format each
On the bindery / finishing side we saw Award Printing (QLD) install a KTM 92 guillotine and Centurion Print and Crucial Colour, both from NZ, each installed a Morgana Digifold folder / creaser.
For more information on the above market movement and industry sales and installations, visit Ascent Partners web site, www.ascentpartners.com.au and Download a PDF which has links to each of the above stories. You can subscribe to Market Watch for free, just completion the application form on the web site. We publish the bulletin at the start of each month.
Businesses on the market.
Ascent Partners have five print related businesses on the market spread the Eastern states. We’re also talking to a few more. So if you’re in the market to buy or sell, contact me, Richard Rasmussen, on the web site, www.ascentpartners.com.au or on the mobile – 0402 021 101.