Melbourne printer stamps out Commonwealth Games winners

The commemorative stamps are hitting the streets every day while the Commonwealth Games are held, and Australia Post claims the print project will see more stamps designed, printed and delivered over the two-week stretch of the event than would otherwise be printed in a whole year.

SEP Sprint in Melbourne is taking care of production on the project, having also printed the quick-run stamps during the Sydney Olympics, the Athens Olympics and both of the recent Winter Olympic events. So far the security printer has been responsible for rushing out 54 gold medal quick-run stamps.

“Our involvement with the Commonwealth Games offers further evidence of our commitment to research and developments, and high-class stamp products,” says Mark Reid, managing director of SEP Sprint.

Reid says there are a number of factors that have enabled his company work successfully on such a production intensive and time-critical project.

“Pre-planning is critical, as are the expertise and skills of our people in prepress, production and finishing,” he says. “Also important is our relationship with the design and logistics people at Australia Post.”

SEP Sprint is performing the work overnight on a Heidelberg CD 102 UV six-colour press with double coater. Files are sent to the prepress department at approximately 1am, with the proofs verified by the design team and then sent off to the print room between 3am and 4am.

The printed stamps are then sent to the finishing room by 5.00am, with the first pallet of stock sent out to Australia Post for distribution by 6.00am.

SEP Sprint will also be delivering special stamp sheets for the opening and closing ceremonies, and a series of special-issue ‘memorable moment’ stamp sheets, with the choices voted on by media and sports commentators.