appointments  business planning 
Cyber’s lavish Sydney opening belies the serious shift in print business the company is proposing for Australia. David Catt was there. Distribution newcomers Cyber Australia held what was possibly one of the largest celebrations for print in Australia this year as it formally opened its doors for business at its Rydalmere premises in Sydney. There were smiles, gifts and handshakes all around, singing, a fine meal, and a well-deserved drink or two.

For the people at Cyber though, it was a case of a wineglass in one hand, and a pen in the other. Holding its celebrations flanked by a Ryobi 750 printing press, a Ryobi DI press and an Esko-Graphics Platedriver 8 metal CTP platesetter, the night was all about serious business. It was about making good friends in a crowded industry where the printer is surrounded by a thousand options and suppliers clamouring for a piece of the action. And that is the ethos that Cyber has stood by since it established itself in the South East Asian market in 1976 – offering service that is second-to-none and being a name that printers know and can trust. This is what the company believes has made it a real force to be reckoned with in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

Herbert Cheong, Cyber chairman, made the trip from Singapore to officiate the proceedings with a light-hearted speech that paid homage to everyone who has been involved in getting the Australian business set up, as well as the reasons behind the company’s expansion into the local market.

"The Australian printing market is nine times larger than the Singaporean market, and like Japan, Australia has very good reading habits, accounting for the healthy size of the market here," says Cheong.

"I was inspired by a speech by the former Prime Minister of Singapore who told local businesses to spread their wings and fly, and that any country within seven hours flying time of Singapore should be considered as part of the market."

Hiroshi Urakami, Ryobi chairman and CEO, was the guest of honour at the event. Ryobi and Cyber enjoy a very close working relationship in South East Asia since Cyber established itself, and the company was urged to expand into the Australian market when the Ryobi agency recently became available.

"Cyber is so successful because it is always thinking of ways to make its customers more successful, and Herbert Cheong has done a wonderful job with this company," says Urakami.

"I believe that with his son Bernard at the helm in Australia, Cyber and Ryobi will become even stronger. I believe Cyber will be warmly accepted by the Australian community because of the service and reliable products it offers."

Jean-Pierre De Moor, Esko-Graphics Asia Pacific vice president and managing director, agrees with Urakami, saying, "Cyber’s greatest strength is its commitment to its customers and to service. The level of knowledge it has in regards to prepress is rare for a supplier." It is for this reason, says De Moor, that his company chose Cyber to represent its metal CTP products in Australia.

Cheong and Urakami then came together to unveil the plaque commemorating the occasion, before bringing the entire Cyber Australia team and associates for rousing toasts in Australian, Singaporean and Japanese traditions.

The first four local agents that will assist Cyber in it sales were announced: Pressnet Graphic Arts Machinery, Mal Graphics Printers Supplies and Machinery, Graphics Arts Supplies Pty Ltd, and Garrick Offset Services Pty Ltd.

Representatives from the four companies were presented with certificates in honour of their appointment as authorised dealers for .

The evening’s formalities were capped off by the gift from Cyber to Ryobi of an eagle wall mounting made of mother-of-pearl, and the giving of an ornate urn from Cyber Thailand to the newest member of the Cyber family, Cyber Australia.