Chief executive Rodney Frost told ProPrint that setting up in the developing economy was essential to help Cheque-Mates “keep up with the market strategically”.

“We have set up an outsourced service for contact centre services, computer programming, support, digital and web content management, data entry and image processing, creative services, and other higher-value IT and outsourcing services.”

In October 2010, Salmat set up a facility with space for up to 340-staff in the Philippines, which is a growth market for low-cost business process outsourcing (BPO).

According to the Business Processing Association of the Philippines, the continued expansion of BPO is thanks to the country’s strong English language skills, “world-class telecommunications” and the fact it is “among the lowest in labour costs”.

Frost said it was the wealth of local talent that had motivated Cheque-Mates’ strategy.

“We have some great people up there. It is very hard to compete down here. The people up there, their work ethic is sensational,” said Frost.

He said the new division would “allow printers to lock in their print volumes by value-adding additional services on top of the print”.

Frost added: “For example, if they are printing invoice or statement work, we now have extra programming ability to allow extra personalisation of the statement or invoice offering additional services such as transpromotional strategies.”

He said there would be no changes to Cheque-Mates’ Australian size or staffing.

“As we grow, we will still need to expand in Australia. We will still have a quality control centre here. If anything we will grow here.”

The facility will provide work for a new initiative CM Solutions, which Frost said was due to launch in the next few weeks.

“CM Solutions is a service with our channel partners – printers, print managers, copy shops, mail houses – where we go into their customer’s sites with them to see how they can automate their business processes.”

Cheque Mates has 35 staff and is part of the 110-staff Lamson Paragon Group.

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