Aussie print stock is flying high on the global stage as Cactus Imaging general manager of strategic development Keith Ferrel is named Fespa Hall of Fame World Printer of the Year at the Fespa Awards, just held in Munich.
Ferrel was selected from more than 1600 nominees coming out of 40 countries, winning a poll of many thousands of printers and suppliers by just over 100 votes.
This is the third year he has been inducted into the Hall of Fame, finishing second to Suresh Babu from Indian outfit AB Screens last year and fourth in 2012.
Ferrel was quick to credit his team at Cactus for making the award possible.
“I don’t consider this just a personal success, the whole team can feel like they have won with me. You can’t have an achievement without a good team,” he says.
“I’m overwhelmed, it is a huge honour to be recognised among my peers. It is the epitome of my career, it’s hard to better it.
“I thank my peers and my suppliers for voting for me, it’s unbelievable.”
[Related: More Opus news]
Ferrel attributed the victory to Cactus’ increasing international profile, working on bigger projects for higher profile and more internationally known clients like the Queen Victoria Buildings.
“Cactus and its work is now internationally recognised and with the volumes of work we are putting through we have become big enough to buy direct from suppliers,” he says.
“It’s a great job and a credit to the entire team who have worked hard to make this possible, and it’s an incentive to the younger guys to know that they can climb to the top if they want to.”
Ferrel says Cactus will capitalise on this victory to further increase its capabilities and chase more projects, planning to buy new equipment that is ‘the best in the world’ this year.
“We are the most technologically advanced printing company in Australia and we are always trying to do more,” he says.
“This new equipment will allow us to make a quantum leap.”
Ferrel co-founded Sydney-based Cactus with Warwick Spicer in 1992 before selling it to Opus in 2008.
Sydney wide format firm Next Printing was Australia only Fespa Award candidate, a finalist for the In Store Project of the Year category, but lost to UK’s Press On.
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.
Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter
