Page 64 - Print 21 Magazine Sep-Oct 2020

People in Print
the OVERflow
Kurz celebrates 50
Kyears in Australia
urz Australia is Harald Stubenrauch manager of celebrating half a century Export for the formal speeches.” of operation and hosted With its beginnings in the
a series of staff events at locations around the country to mark the momentous occasion.
The world’s biggest embellishing supplies business – still owned and managed
by the family of the founder
– opened its first direct subsidiary outside Europe here in Australia, in July 1970.
Stephen Pratt, managing director of Kurz Australia,
says, “In this Covid-19 world
we opted to have simultaneous luncheon events in Adelaide, Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney. At 4pm we all joined via Skype, along with Walter Kurz, Markus Hoffmann [senior board member of Kurz Group] and
1890s, Leonhard Kurz Stiftung & Company, or Kurz, as it is commonly known, is an integral part of the print and packaging industry. It is estimated that every day some five billion people around the world handle products that have Kurz foils
on them, from magazines, greetings cards, confectionery, and cosmetics, through to food packaging, and of course, beverage labels.
The company’s global turnover continues to rise and is now $1bn. Its staff numbers reflect a growing business.
Six years ago, when current Australia CEO Stephen Pratt joined the business, there were
Celebrating: Kurz marks 50 years in Australia with multiple events
4000 people on the Kurz payroll and today there are 5800.
Kurz entered Australia 50 years ago this month. In the half-century since, the business has firmly established itself as the key player in the market. Pratt says Australian print businesses appreciate the knowledge, innovation and commitment of Kurz. “Our customers are not just buying foil, they are buying expertise, support and quality,” he says. “The Kurz business is not just
selling foil, we are not a trading house. Our business is about ensuring our customers achieve the result they want every time, and we do that through our whole service offering.”
Its first managing director in Australia was Geoff Johnstone. In fact, he went to Kurz with the business plan, the Kurz family liked what they saw,
and Johnstone was hired to establish the business here. The company now has 23 local subsidiaries . 21
Visionary Digital new partners in SA and NZ
Specialist floor, wall, and window graphic media supplier Visionary Digital
has new distribution deals with suppliers in South Australia and New Zealand, making it easier for printers there to access its products.
Graphic Art Supplies in Adelaide, owned by Steve Murphy and Michael Clarke, is the new distribution partner
for all Visionary Digital and Continental Grafix products for South Australia, while Stark Digital has been appointed to cover New Zealand.
Owned by Tom Matthews, Visionary Digital focuses exclusively on floor, wall, and window media. It appointed Ian Cleary as national sales manager in March. 21
Now supplying Visionary Digital product in SA: Michael Clarke (left) and Steve Murphy of Graphic Arts Supplies
64 Print21 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020