The Horsham printers contacted by ProPrint were returning to business yesterday after being forced to evacuate their premises as the floodwaters reached their peak on Tuesday.

Andrew Crosgrove from Wimmera Design & Print described his business as “pretty lucky” to escape any damage.

“A couple of staff have had flood damage to their homes, so they’re still off tidying up,” he said.

He said that the company had been forced to delay a few local deliveries to nearby Stawell and missed a delivery of gloss stock, but otherwise had suffered no difficulties from floods that swept through the city.

Darren Robertson from Shelton & Lane Print said floodwaters up to three feet deep came within a block of his business, but that it had also escaped any problems. The company is trading again after losing power for much of Tuesday.

Stacey Henwood from Dags Quality Screenprinting also reported being “semi-operational” yesterday, as it moves its equipment back into place. The company had sandbagged its site and moved equipment off the floor, but was not reached by floodwaters.

Meanwhile, more details on the scale of the disaster in Brisbane has emerged, with business centre MBE Milton inundated by the floods and losing several key pieces of machinery.

Major distributor Cielab has been updating its Facebook page with pictures of MBE Milton’s inundation and subsequent clean-up, which involved up to 30 volunteers.

The business was inundated by up three metres of water during the flood, with an HP Designjet Z6100 and HP Designjet 5500 completely submerged.

Owner Steven Smedley, who could not be contacted by ProPrint, was said to have taken over the business only four months ago. According to MBE, the Milton outfit is currently operating out of MBE’s Toowong centre.

Worldwide Online Printing said that 17 of its 21 Queensland centres are now “fully operational”, with the remaining Brisbane-based franchises still operating from other premises.

Worldwide South Brisbane has been the site of a “massive clean-up”, according to Worldwide managing director Rob Dallimore. The franchise is currently operating from the Worldwide Springwood centre, as is the Worldwide Redlands franchise.

Worldwide Milton, which was undamaged by the floods but has had power cut off since last week, is continuing to operate from Worldwide Mt Gravatt. Worldwide Rowes Arcade and Worldwide George Street are operating from the Worldwide Spring Hill centre, pending the return of power to their respective sites.

Dallimore praised the charity of franchise owners that have “put aside their own business and family issues to ensure other centres could continue to serve their customers”.

Donations to the Queensland Flood Relief Appeal can be made here.

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