Melbourne brand communications powerhouse Waratah Group has moved its mailing business Direct Communications from Preston into its headquarters in Port Melbourne as it focuses on the direct bulk mailing market.
All 20 staff members and the entire machinery lineup from Preston have now been fully integrated into Waratah’s facility at Lorimer St, Port Melbourne, boosting total staff numbers at the facility to over 140.
“It just made perfect sense,” says Ayda Hornak, head of sales and marketing, Waratah Group. “Having the Direct Communications operation here allows them to access other digital presses that we have here on the floor at Lorimer St and with the Océ VarioPrint i300 coming across from Preston, we’re now able to utilize that machine for other customers.
“The driving force behind the idea was to consolidate the business from a production sense and integrate the mail and print businesses so we can seamlessly deliver both mail and print to customers in one easy transition,” said Hornak.
“At first, we were a little concerned because it was a huge move but the transition has been fantastic and now that everything’s under one roof, the processes are much easier and more accessible for customers.”
Waratah Group co-owner Brett Chalmers says the synergies of the plan were undeniable. “There are huge savings to be had from having everything in the one building. We’re better able to control workflow and increase our speed to market," he said.
“We planned this move out very carefully over some time, with a lot of staff meetings and conferences, and the transition has been seamless. The staff have been brilliant.”
The company is now considering investing in new inserting equipment to boost capacity of its bulk mail business, which boasts major clients including BMW, Spotlight, World Vision and Anaconda.