The total print solutions company has undergone a meteoric rise since its 2004 acquisition by managing director Steve D’Souza and his wife Odelia, with turnover of NZ$4 million in 2002 having now reached NZ$32 million.
D’Souza said further acqusitions formed the basis of the growth strategy. The company’s track record of buyouts includes Computer Forms in May 2005, Raven Print in February 2007, Wyatt & Wilson in April 2009, and most recently Publishing Press in September last year.
D’Souza said he simply “decided not to participate in the recession” and is confident that Kalamazoo’s “unrivalled capabilities” will continue to deliver success with existing and new clients.
“We are the only company that has flexible business systems, business forms, commercial print and digital print under the one roof in New Zealand,” he told ProPrint.
“We have everything across the board so we can tell a client which system will be ideal for them from a cost benefit point-of-view. If a customer only wants to do a short run, they need not do it on the sheetfed option, they can do it digital. If they want a medium run they can go to the small offset, or if a large run then a large offset or a web.”
Another vital factor will be the company’s pursuit of such key business principles as adding value, eradicating inefficient processes, and lean manufacturing.
“Adding value is age-old. There is nothing rocket science about it, but people forget the basics of what the customer needs. It’s about giving the customer what he needs and not what you think he wants. We keep it very simple, we don’t like to complicate too many things,” said D’Souza.
He won’t reveal the secret of his success, but said: “I will never tell [exactly] what I do to the print market – if I shared this then people would start following and put me out of business -[but it’s about] keeping staff motivated and customers and suppliers happy. We are very blessed as a company.”
Kalamazoo currently employs 102 people in its Auckland and Christchurch plants, and also has links to a large D’Souza family printing business in Bangalore.
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