The Commonwealth Games are proving to be a boost for print, as the total value of print-related contracts awarded for the Commonwealth Games surpasses $2.8m.

The largest contract awarded to date for the Games, slated to take place in April, is $1.7m, it was given to a panel of providers which includes Fast Proof Press, CPX Printing & Logistics, IPG Connect, and Heaney’s Performers in Print.

Mark Zerba, operations manager, GPX Printing & Logistics, explains “There is a panel of printers. The organisers post individual jobs, then the panel members have to quote, and then the jobs are awarded to the appropriate printer.

“As it gets closer to the games the turnaround times are tightening.

“The $1.7m is the print component spread across that board. To get on to the panel, we had to put in a tender, and they selected us out of those who had put in a tender.

“For the games so far, we have done wide-format work, alongside pull-up banners, luggage tags, flags, and corflute signs.

“We do a lot of government, university, and corporate work.”

Datacom Systems has won $168,000 worth of work, encompassing printer consumables and printing services.

For signage, some $470,000 worth of contracts have been awarded, with Dot Dash taking the lion’s share with $213,000 of work, followed by MMR Studio Australia with a $99,000 contract, Wilsons Designs winning a $70,000 contract, Go Transit Media winning a $50,000 contract, and Leda Signs winning a $21,000 contract.

Newly-formed company MAT Events, created by self-described sublimated specialists Loco Sportsware, will manage merchandise for the Games, operating as a quasi-broker to source all textile print. Winning $420,000 worth of contracts to date, the company will also operate and produce the retail stands, and online portal for selling the merchandise. The figure includes a $65,000 contract for providing the official games village 2018 branded linen.

Overland Group and Lifestyle Australia have won comparatively smaller merchandising contracts, $11,000 and $24,000 respectively.

Managed print solutions provider CSG has won the contract for office print at the Games. In the lead up, CSG says it will be provisioning more than 500 multi-function devices and printers including project planning support, pre-deployment testing, warehouse storage, full maintenance and servicing to ensure maximum uptime and quality delivery, as well as ongoing replenishment of consumables, supplies and spare parts.

Julie-Ann Kerin, CEO, managing director, CSG says, “As an Australian owned company with a large local presence in Queensland, CSG is very proud to be involved with such a significant sporting event, the largest Australia will see this decade.

“We look forward to supporting the organisation to deliver this prestigious global event.

“An event of this scale and significance relies on its suppliers and partners to ensure everything from start to finish runs as efficiently and as smoothly as possible."

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