Pressnet principal, Charlie Scandrett, says the market tide is turning, and reports the firm sale of one Sakurai and four Gronhi presses at PacPrint, with solid enquiries for 13 more Hans Gronhi presses, pending the arrangement of finance.
Among the confirmed orders, Peter Kritas, chairman of rapidly growing distribution company, Sydney-based Mailpost, confirmed an initial order for three four-colour Gronhi presses with an option to buy two more for his new production hubs, whilst 55-year old firm, Ron Howard Printing of Casino, NSW, will take delivery next week of the Gronhi which was running on the Pressnet stand at PacPrint.Scandrett says the Gronhi is the first major press investment for the Casino printer for many years, and will join a GTO, KORD, a platen and a cylinder press, all of which were originally bought new. "Small printers like Ron Howard have an opportunity to enter the four-colour market with the Hans Gronhi press," says Scandrett.
Meanwhile, Drum Print in Mandurah, WA, visited the stand to confirm their order for a Sakurai 566SD press which will be delivered next month.
Reflecting on the success of PacPrint, Scandrett says that the show was quiet in visitor terms, "with fewer tyre-kickers, but stronger enquiries overall. With fewer stand visitors, they were able to get to the point quicker," he says.
Scandrett believes that finance is more readily available for well-planned capital investment in Australia than it is in many other developed countries. "We assist our customers with their business plans and give them practical advice about how to obtain finance for their press and other equipment investments," he says.
"The tide in confidence is definitely turning and finance is definitely being made available to well qualified printers who are ready to invest. Competition in print has never been more intense and the only way to meet and beat it is to invest in higher productivity."
