Michael Wu’s Ability Press has bought Longbeach Printing from owner and founder Josh De Goot, who is moving to Tasmania to run a non-print business.

Ability has bought the company in order to develop the wide format side of its business. Michael Wu says, “Longbeach has excellent wide format technology and production know how. Wide format printing is a growth opportunity for us, and while we have some in-house already this was a tremendous opportunity to acquire technology and skills to take us forward.

“We have no plans to bring the business into the Ability building or rename it, Longbeach will continue as both a stand alone business trading under its own name, and it will now also supply wide format to the rest of the group.”

Located in south east Melbourne Longbeach is not just a wide format printer, it also has extensive cut sheet digital capabilities. It converted from an offset house to digital a year ago, and has installed an HP Indigo 7800 and Fuji Xerox Color 700 Press.

The company also invested heavily in wide format with an Agfa Anapurna M2050. 

Michael Wu says, “Our customers are increasingly asking for wide format, and we have to give the customers what they want. We picked up some kit when we bought Mercedes Waratah, including an Agfa Anapurna, this acquisition ramps up our capabilities nicely.”

Josh De Goot says, “I started Longbeach 25 years ago. The printing industry is going rough a major transition, and we made that transition at Longbeach when we switched out of offset. For various reasons, including my health, the time was right for me to make a change of my own, so it was an opportune decision to sell to Ability.”

John De Goot, Josh’s son, remains in the business as production manager along with around ten staff.

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