Page 12 - Print 21 July-August 2019

Printing People
Hands on
print production
Ask Rod Dawson and he’ll proudly tell you that Southern Colour has a flat management structure. Everyone is ‘hands on’, there is no general manager, all executive staff are prepared to meet and deal with customers and there is a drive to deliver ‘genuine,’ not ‘lip’ service. He speaks with Patrick Howard.
Southern Colour is a quiet achiever, a powerhouse offset printer that flies below the radar. It’s the way Rod Dawson, managing
director and shareholder, likes it.
He knows commercial printing
is a competitive industry where customers are continuously approached to make a switch, but he is confident in the service offering Southern Colour has refined over the years. He takes nothing for granted, and prefers to fly below the radar remaining cautious when entering the spotlight.
“I don’t often speak to the media. Better to focus on our customers. We’ve a very flat structure here; there’s no general manager, and all my management team deal with customers. I deal with customers. We’re all very hands on. Having that accessibility means customers can
Main:
“Print will always remain our core business.”
Rod Dawson, managing director, Southern Colour.
Below:
Steve Exon, Southern Colour operations manager, running the Stahl TH82-P folder at press speed.
reach out and speak with any number of people here. All major customers have multiple touch points of contact”, he said.
Southern Colour in Keysborough is an ‘old school’ printer that has embraced opportunities to expand its service offerings. A member of Southern Impact along with Impact Digital, Intelligent Media and Onpack, it’s a dedicated Heidelberg offset printing factory. Dawson
has eschewed the temptation to follow the industry into digital and wide format printing in order to concentrate on offset production.
“We think we’re well positioned
to be a prominent player moving forward, assuming there’s going to be further market consolidation.
We have positioned ourselves so we have a robust sustainable business for the future. Demand for print
is decreasing but there will always
be demand. But you need to have invested correctly, have your debt under control, understand your
cost base, and be committed to your model if you’re going to survive.
You can’t have one foot in and one foot out. It’s going to be harder for those who aren’t able to make those decisions in regards to investment to compete moving forward.”
Investment cycles
Dawson is not averse to investing, but he never takes his eye off the ball. Having survived one near death business experience under
the previous owners of the then Southern Litho, he knows printing is a business that can easily be brought undone. Back then, the arrival of
the Nankervis family, courtesy of
an introduction by industry savant Stan Solimidis, saved the day.
The company was integrated into Southern Impact, and Dawson has nothing but praise for his working relationship with his fellow directors and shareholders.
“Although the previous business under Steve Brown was in deep trouble, he had developed the basis of a company we believed could prosper under a new structure. The technology, staff and customers were reasonably sound at that point. We had just moved into this purpose- built building so the foundation
was set. It was a daunting challenge working with the Nankervis brothers to turn the ship around, but the Group has a steely resolve. They
were terrific support to me through this time, fantastic business people and were prepared to reinvest in the business, build it, and see it out. It took time and perseverance but here we are,” he said.
The lessons have been well learned, and Dawson ensures that Southern Colour is run as a tight ship, living within its means. The company is almost unrecognisable
12 Print21 JULY/AUGUST 2019