Webstar opens new printing facility in Auckland

Australasia’s latest printing facility officially opened in Auckland on 11 June by Webstar, specialist web printing division of Blue Star Group NZ.

Len Brown, the new mayor of greater Auckland opened the facility to an audience of around 150. The day was highlighted with a tour of the plant, where one of the heat-set web presses operated at 65 thousand impressions per hour.

A direct result of last years $80 million ACP mega magazine ten-year print tender, the new facility enables Webstar to move into large-scale production of magazines. Designed for further expansion, the new facility currently employs 20 locals and is forecast to grow to more than 50 new full-time positions.

Extending the capacity of its existing 12-year-old operation in Masterton by another 30 per cent, the west Auckland printing facility will produce magazines and printed products. It will also offer customers the latest binding technology, an increased range of inserts, onserts and special options that have not been available to the market before now.

Warwick Hay, CEO of Webstar Australia and NZ says the new facility marks its entry into the large-scale production of magazines and “will extend our ability to produce publications and other printed products of the highest quality.”

"It will complement our existing Masterton-based business, which prints unaddressed catalogues, directories and other publications for the likes of Yellow Pages, the Warehouse and Foodstuffs.”

As Webstar's foundation client, ACP Media will print its high-circulation magazines at the new facility, such as NZ Property Press, Woman's Day, the NZ edition of The Australian Women's Weekly, Metro, Next and North & South.

"Whoever said that print is dead is being presumptuous in the extreme; this great new facility shows that the printed word is alive and well and being produced in west Auckland.”

According to Webstar, the two second-hand A4 16pg Rotoman 70 presses at its new facility will set new industry benchmarks for turnaround times and waste. The presses are equipped with automatic colour register control, automatic blanket and ink washing technology, along with a wide range of ancillary equipment.