Melbourne’s Complete Colour has acquired Erwins Printing in a move that returns B2 printing capabilities to the company and further grows environmentally responsible onshore printing in Australia.
Complete Colour managing director and founder, Tim Michaelides, said he had been on the look-out for an acquisition with the opportunity to acquire the trusted family-owned Erwins Printing coming at the perfect time.
“Erwins Printing is a great business and its owner, Mick Edwards, is a lovely fellow. Mick has been instrumental in solidifying Erwins’ position as one of the most respected Melbourne offset printing companies around. The business has great values; and like us enjoyed lifetime clients and staff,” Michaelides said.
“It is a great fit for the future of all concerned. Now we want to continue the growth of Melbourne’s trusted print industry, with a strong environmentally responsible focus. Acquiring Erwins is a significant step in that direction.”
Now the acquisition is complete, Mick Edwards’ son, Sean Edwards, and daughter Stacey Minutello along with other key long-term staff have joined the Complete team at Cheltenham across the business in customer service, pre-press, and production.
Also included is a five-colour B2 Komori press which Complete Colour will integrate with its existing 10-colour Heidelberg press and digital equipment.
“We are taking two or three pieces of equipment and selling off the rest,” Michaelides said.
“We got rid of our previous B2 printer because the market had dropped off leading up to Covid and then when Covid hit we just took the step to dispose of it and just run one press. That was a pretty good move for us right through Covid.
“Over the last two years we have won a significant amount of packaging work that is probably more suited for a B2 press as well like beer cartons so now having this press will be helpful for us. We’ve also won some label work so it will be better to have those on the half sheet. It will give us more flexibility in the business,” Michaelides said.
Complete Colour director Geoff Lawyer added, “We’re really excited to continue the great work that Erwins Printing has undertaken for the last 50-plus years.
“Industry consolidation and integration is inevitable in this post-Covid climate, and we’re delighted to have secured a future for a business that has operated under the same values and principles as Complete. Erwins is a great example of how solid operational ethics creates pillars of strength and longevity – for staff, suppliers, and clients alike. Erwins is a natural fit for Complete, and the future of environmentally responsible on-shore printing in Australia is looking very positive.”
Mick Edwards welcomed the buy.
“Complete operates on the same principles that we have based our business on over the past 32 years; quality, honesty and respect, which made them an excellent fit to continue servicing our clients’ needs into the future,” Edwards said.
Edwards and Ron Hall purchased Erwins Printing in 1990 from Erwin Luettin who started the company in 1970.
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