Above: Tom Lusch, Aaron Lusch, and Tim Lusch

The industry has paid tribute to print stalwart and pioneer, Tom Lusch, founder of Queensland-based Platypus Print Packaging, following his passing on January 3, aged 68.

Tom’s son Tim Lusch told the Courier Mail his dad had been “battling away” with cancer for some years after diagnosis in late 2021. But just after Christmas on December 27, Tom tested positive to Covid-19. He died peacefully at his home, surrounded by his family.

Tom was born in 1955. At the age of 17 in 1972, Tom commenced a trade certification in letterpress printing with an apprenticeship at Spectator Publishing Co. in Melbourne.

In 1976, Tom completed his apprenticeship and worked as a printing machinist. He then relocated to Queensland in 1979 to take on an estimating position at Inprint.

In 1982, Tom officially registered Platypus (then known as Platypus Graphics) as a company. Initially set up as a home hobby business, it mainly did foil stamping on a small hand platen at that time.

In 1984, the business acquired a Heidelberg Platen and set it up underneath the Lusch family home with Tom soon resigning from his full-time job as the business grew.

Two years later, Platypus bought its first offset press – a Heidelberg MO A2 single-colour machine.

Growing from just five staff to more than 40 in 1990, Platypus very quickly became well-known in the industry for its high-quality, embellishing, and fast turnaround times.

In 1999, Platypus acquired the McNiven’s packaging business, allowing the company to grow in this space with a large format flatbed die cutter and folder gluer acquired in the sale along with a team of skilled staff.

Three years later, Aaron Lusch, Tom’s eldest son of six, joined the business working in various roles. Shortly after, in 2005, Platypus purchased a Roland 700, six-colour with coater printing press, allowing the business to grow its packaging division at that time. In 2011, another of Tom’s sons Tim Lusch joined the business.

The company rebranded itself as Platypus Print Packaging in 2018, expanding its business, consolidating its multiple sites into one space spread over 10,000 square metres and investing in a new press and packaging equipment.

In 2021, Aaron and Tim acquired shares in Platypus and become company directors alongside their father Tom. That same year, Platypus also became the first Australian operator to buy a Koenig & Bauer Rapida 106 X.

The following year, Platypus Print Packaging purchased the packaging business of Ovato and announced its commitment to

In an emotional speech at the 2023 ProPrint Awards in October, Aaron paid tribute to his father and his family, when he was recognised at the event.

“I am fourth generation in the printing industry and Platypus Print Packaging is a second-generation business. I would like to share this award with my father and my brother and our team of 140 wonderful staff that make it happen.”

Industry tributes flow

Walter Kuhn, managing director of Kuhn Corp Print & Packaging, told Sprinter, “Tom was a stalwart of the industry, a pioneer, and overall, an amazingly generous person”.

“Since the late 1980s and early 1990s when I owned Panther Print – before Kuhn Corp – he worked for us, and we worked for him over many years. Tom would do a lot of embossing foiling for our business.

“He has amazing business ethics and he also had great foresight into the world of packaging. He saw the writing on the wall with the growth of carboard packaging more than 20 years ago.

“You cannot say a bad word about Tom as there is not a bad word to say.

“There are certain people that you would trust implicitly – and Tom is one of those people.”

Kellie Northwood, CEO, Visual Media Association, said Tom has a “reputation of generosity, passionate support of the industry, and an eye-twinkling wit that will be missed”.

“I, like so many across the industry, have a story about Tom’s generosity and support. Mine, as a 26-year-old walking into a meeting looking to secure my first print partner in Queensland. I had no idea what I was doing – clueless.

“He spent three hours with me, called other printers to get on board, gave support to an idea that still stands today. He didn’t have to help a junior print rep, he didn’t have to give so many of our now industry leaders their first jobs, he didn’t have to help printers print over-capacity nor turn up to any event we needed support across.

“He has a reputation of generosity, passionate support of the industry and an eye-twinkling wit that will be missed. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and Platypus team, vale Luschy.” 

Simon Carmody, managing director at Spot Productions, knew Tom the longest of anyone in the industry and will be speaking at the funeral in Brisbane tomorrow.

“Tom and I have been very close for over 40 years. I first met Tom as a 12-year-old, and we worked together in the 1990s and remained friends ever since,” Carmody told Sprinter.

“We were good friends, old work colleagues, and close mates. Tom has always been an inspiration to me and a hero throughout my working life.

“He was always there for advice and support on many levels. I will miss him dearly. Gone but never forgotten.

“Rest In peace mate.”

A funeral service will be held on Friday, January 12 at the Victory Centre, 32 Carseldine Road, Bridgeman Downs.

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