BJ Ball has acquired Sydney paper merchant Longbottom Paper to expand its push into digital as all of the big three attack the growing market.
The deal is likely to send BJ Ball into top spot for digital paper market share, with the merchant incorporating the Longbottom range under its Icon banner.
The acquisition comes into effect on December 1 with Longbottom relocating operations from Padstow to BJ Ball’s Prospect, NSW facilities.
Longbottom was an early entrant into the digital paper market, punching well over its weight as owner Colin Longbottom recognised the potential of the market first, and created a business to meet the market needs. He was long envied by the major players.
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Longbottom says he has several ranges of products aimed at digital printers which makes it a great fit for BJ Ball.
He says his company is particularly strong in the aqueous and solvent markets as well as substrates for HP Indigos and cut-sheet toner machines, including all the new printers launched in the last few months by Fuji Xerox, Canon, Konica Minolta and Ricoh.
“BJ Ball now won’t have to source those products from elsewhere, and we also have several agency contracts and mill supplier relationships BJ Ball want to get access to, so it is a good deal for all of us,” he says.
Longbottom expects sales of these products will double over the next year with BJ Ball resources and its customer base outside Longbottom’s NSW and Victoria bases.
“I was also attracted to the Icon program and I think our products will fit into that well,” he says.
Longbottom says after 43 years in the industry, including 31 years running his own business, he is ready to call time on his print career and enjoy retirement.
He and two other Longbottom staff will join BJ Ball, he will spend a year as a business development manager, helping the paper merchant launch new digital products and training sales staff on how to market them.
“BJ Ball has a young, go-ahead sales team and I think that is important because they are eager to keep up with changes in technology, whereas older staff can be a bit set in their ways. I am looking forward to working with them,” he says.
Longbottom says the rest of his seven staff not coming to BJ Ball have all secured new jobs, which was something he wanted to make sure happened before making the move.
He says the deal was a year in the making as everyone wanted to get the details right.
“It was a nerve-wracking time, especially the last three months, but it was easier once I knew everyone had a job,” he says.
“I have had some offers over the years, but I felt I was too young to stop working. I’m 63 now and will be 64 by the end of this, and with two daughters who have their own careers the time is right to transition to the next stage of my life.”
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