One of the country’s more remote printers Queensland’s Lotsa Printing expects further growth and an increase in demand with the purchase of a new Fuji Xerox iGen4 digital press for its Port Douglas site.
Increased demand, the new economically focused LNP government, and the demise of Geon with its ultra low prices are all cited as reasons for the investment.
Peter Martin, owner, Lotsa Printing told Australian Printer, “We have used digital and offset for more than 15 years, in the digital we have always had a Xerox production machine, starting with the 4040 Docucolour in 1998. Xerox has always had great production machines and the iGen4 continues this trend with this press.”
Martin says, “We are in a remote location and service is a critical aspect for us, Xerox has a dedicated technician in the area to service these machines.”
And Lotsa is not just banking on the printer itself to generate work, he says that since the collapse of Geon and the closure of its sites in Queensland, including those in Townsville and Cairns, he expects the whole Australian market to benefit and not just Queensland.
He says, “The main benefit is the end of unsustainable prices Geon established in the market place. They were always the cheapest and by substantial amounts, even on smallish jobs of a couple of thousand dollars. Clearly the fact they have gone broke is a result of not generating enough from their print activities due to those insanely low prices.”
Martin says the iGen4 will give his business the ability to produce 660mm long sheets and will provide a significant increase in Lotsa Printing’s production capacity.
He says, “Previously we were only able to print 6 page A4 brochures, A4 landscape books and presentation folders on offset equipment, meaning that small volumes have not been economical to produce. The iGen4 will now allow us to print and produce at a higher capacity.”
“The extra sizes are the major benefits of the iGen4. The bigger sheet also increases throughput in less time. In addition the new matt toners and enhanced colour control produce a superior product to previous machines.”
Martin says the iGen4 will continue to produce what the previous iGen3 did whilst adding new products. “Digital printing is 21 per cent of sales and is growing moderately. The range of products we print is the full spectrum of print, from cards to posters, brochures, menus and point of sale items.”
He says, “These days a client will request a product and the quantity determines whether it is offset or digital, they typically do not worry about the method of production as long as it meets their expectations for quality which digital presses of recent years achieve. The iGen4 makes this even more acceptable. The reality is many clients cannot pick the method of production between offset and digital and the iGen4 means that even experienced professionals struggle to pick a difference.”
Lotsa Printing was established in 1995 as a purely digital printer, but has since expanded the range of equipment to produce a full spectrum of printed material for the commercial sector. It has four locations across Queensland (Townsville, Cairns, Atherton and the production hub in Port Douglas) and services the regional Queensland market, Papua New Guinea, and even Melbourne.
Martin says the new economically focused LNP government was a big factor in his decision to invest in new machinery.
He says, “The prospect of an economically focused LNP government has already seen a spring in the step of business people this year. There has been more confidence in the community that is already translating into increased activity. We are seeing this locally and is part of our decision to invest in this new equipment. I see a moderate return to growth being sustained with a more competent federal government on the back of the recent changes to the Queensland state government.”
