Opus Print Group makes a move on Asia

Private equity-backed Opus Print Group looks beyond the trans-Tasman and expands into Asia.

Following a busy year of local acquisitions, including the takeover of ACT-based CanPrint and Union Offset, Opus Print Group is furthering its reach through a strategic alliance with C.O.S Printers in Singapore and Hung Hing, headquartered in Hong Kong, with several print facilities in China.

“Opus and C.O.S will provide a seamless quality print product for all of the needs of larger regional clients,” said Alfred Ang, managing director of C.O.S Printers.

Locally the group, which consists of six niche print players in Australia and New Zealand, will open Ligare New Zealand, to be run by Richard Celarc, who founded Ligare in Australia. Celarc will relocate to New Zealand this month and oversee the building of the print business in Auckland. “We are responding to shorter deadlines and new digital formats,” said Celarc. “We see the New Zealand business as a template for the very future of printing.”

According to CEO of Opus, Cliff Brigstocke, (pictured) the decision to set up Ligare New Zealand was based upon strengthening Opus’ geographic reach. “It’s important to even up the balance in terms of what we have in Australia and replicate that in New Zealand in terms of book printing,” he said.

“In New Zealand, we have been successful in our out-of-home acquisitions like Cactus Imaging. The missing link for us has not been having a book and book binding capability there.”

Brigstocke added that when expanding the Opus portfolio, the group is selective as to what business it purchases. “We are not into acquisitions for acquisitions’ sake,” he said. “What we look for are niche businesses that perform well in their sectors and we won’t be changing that focus.”