Page 18 - Print 21 July-August 2019

Cover Feature
On the ethics of doing
good business
The basis of ethical behaviour in business means ensuring a fair, advantageous, outcome for all concerned. It’s a sustainable and commercial practice that deeply concerns Ben Eaton, CEO of Starleaton, the largest independent, family-owned, supplier to the printing, wide format and signage industry. Determined to make a difference not only to his company but also to the industry at large, he believes embedding the principles of fair-trading in everyday operations benefits everyone; owners, customers, and employees. He shares his vision with Patrick Howard.
Top: The entire Starleaton team from every division across Australia and New Zealand, along with 16 major suppliers from around the globe, gathered in Sydney to learn of Vision 2022 and to celebrate the company’s 40th anniversary.
Above: “I turn forty in December this year. I’ve still got a long way to go.” Ben Eaton, CEO, Starleaton.
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Just about every product sold in the graphics communications market is price checked. That’s a simple fact of business
today. It’s never been easier to check what’s available, at what price and from whom. Printers as well as suppliers cannot afford to work with anything other than the best deal, on equipment and consumables. It’s a competitive, high-pressure space, fast moving and dynamic. But price is not the only competitive differential.
Business is being done at ever- greater speed with order times continually shortening. According
to Ben Eaton, CEO of Starleaton, the time to be able to deliver their finished product to market for printers is getting shorter and shorter. Orders are coming in with sharper deadlines, denying printers the luxury of price checking the material for every job. Sometimes it’s a case of searching
for the right product in the right time frame, rather than at the right price. That’s when a good supplier relationship matters.
“Printers are under an incredible amount of stress. The visibility of the order pipeline is almost non-existent. The job boards for tomorrow
can be empty with requests for
work coming in late in the day for immediate delivery. There is a lack
of confidence that production will be taking place each day.”
As the largest independent, family-owned supply company, Starleaton takes up the challenge,
operating out of eight locations across Australia and New Zealand.
It prides itself on meeting the market in real terms with a premium product at an appropriate price whenever and wherever it’s needed. Logistical sleekness and market leading product knowledge is what the young management team thrives on. They see themselves as the David versus the Goliaths of the supply arena. It’s not a position that deters Eaton; rather it energises him.
“We want to inspire the future
of visual communications, the definition of which is changing year on year. We’re excited to be part of that. We partner with innovative vendors with innovative products that are not necessarily going to be the cheapest in the market. More often than not they’re not. The market view of Starleaton is as a premium provider of product. And that’s OK, I’m happy to be there.
“I turn forty in December this year. I’ve still got a long way to
go. Right now we’re focused on
a sustainable growth trajectory.
The last few years have been full of learnings that will shore up the next stage of our growth. It’s important to make people understand what makes Starleaton tick, why we’re
in business. There’s absolute value in ensuring that our customers see clearly the value of dealing with us.
“My father Peter often said to me ‘this business is a profitable one. Each party must remind themselves of where they sit in the food chain, from manufacturer to distributor to