Page 52 - Prnt21 magazine Jan-Feb 2023

| People in Print | Movers & Shakers
Precision buys Manark in growth drive, gets 10-colour B1
VALE BOB ROBEY
Former graphic arts person of the year, and well-known industry identity, Bob Robey, has passed away, aged 89, after a lifetime promoting the local print industry.
Robey was recognised
as a doyen of the printing and graphic arts industry, particularly in Melbourne, where he headed up several companies including GAS, RS Robey & Associates, AG Markby – The Typesetting Studio and Merging Images.
He was heavily invested in both his own businesses and in the growth and recognition of the industry as a whole, with a vast list of achievements.
He was a Life Member
of the Printing Industry Association of Victoria, and of GASSA (Vic), serving two terms as president.
He represented GASSA for three years on the National Printing Industry Training Committee, and was a member of the committee of curriculum development
at the Melbourne College of Printing and Graphic Arts. He introduced the Work Skill competition to the graphic arts industry, and was the chief national judge.
He was a driving force
in the establishment of the National Print Awards, including 12 years as deputy chairman and member of the organising committee.
In 1994 in recognition of his service to the industry Robey was made Graphic Arts Person of the Year.
Precision Group is continuing its acquisition growth drive, buying Manark Printing, just six months after it merged Melbourne Mailing into its business, in a deal that sees a 10-colour B1 Heidelberg move to Precision.
Cory Hall, CEO of the Precision Group, said, “We wanted extra fire-power and additional staff expertise. I looked at five print companies, did due diligence on two, and Manark stood out. It has never missed a deadline, has skilled craftsmen, and quality press and bindery equipment.
Manark has moved into the Melbourne Mailing facility in Freight Drive, Somerton, which also houses the Precision plant, including its six-colour A1 offset.
Manark was established two decades ago, and merged with
J & J Printing in 2011, and has been on a growth trajectory ever since, doubling in size since the merger, with the Murphy family at the helm. Brendon Murphy and family will now step away from the business.
All Manark staff were offered positions at Somerton, with some moving across and some moving on, as Somerton is a good hour and 15 mins away from Manark’s current location.
Cory Hall, who established Precision Group in 2008, and is its CEO, said the acquisition will deliver significant benefits to both organisations. “The Manark Printing team has decades of industry experience, and a reputation for quality that sits perfectly with our growing business,” he said.
Extra fire-power: Cory Hall
“We are excited to welcome the Manark team into the Precision family, and excited about the benefits this will bring to existing and new customers.”
Precision says the capabilities of the new Somerton facility will rival Australia’s largest providers.
the world, and five million metres a day when all its planned 50 new presses and 11 new plants come on line.
The name ePacOne means one network everywhere, with ePac creating what it claims is the first and largest integrated network of packaging plants across the globe.
The new ePacOne was developed to serve all brands, large and small, regardless
of run-length. The company
says that with ePacOne it
is committed to continue
to innovate in the flexible packaging space, by extending its value proposition to all brands.
It says customers of any size will now benefit from ePac’s industry leading just-in-time manufacturing capabilities across the globe, short lead times, and other engagement solutions (such as ePacConnect) at competitive prices, whatever the order size.
ePac connects plants in global network
Digitally printed packaging producer ePac has connected its production in its burgeoning number of plants around the world together, with a new cloud-based system, ePacOne.
It means that ePac will be
able to print the same job at different sites around the world, at the same time if required. It will be able to print 2.4 million metres of packaging a day for a single customer if required at its 26 plants around
Global: ePac ANZ MD Jason Brown (right) with ePac CIO Parag Patel
52 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023