Melbourne based printers Print Impressions and Eastern Press are merging, with Frank Hilliard, owner at Eastern Press saying it was an opportunity to join forces with a like-minded printer.

Print Impressions is a digital and offset printer established in 1996, while Eastern Press is a commercial printer which started 10 years earlier, in 1986.

The two companies say they see themselves as successful solo printers with production capacity, and say the merger made sense.

Hilliard signed contracts with Trevor O’Connell, owner, Print Impressions with the deal to begin today. They say the merger will be finalised around Easter and that Print Impressions will be integrating into the Eastern Press facility.

Hilliard and O’Connell say they were driven to merge so that their respective clients could benefit from a total end-to-end print solution, without outsourcing.

The combined business will offer wide-format printing, offset, digital, mailing services, and what they say are a range of interactive and digital solutions including augmented reality and cross media.

Hilliard says all Print Impressions staff were offered jobs at Eastern Press, with most of the staff coming across, except for those who decided to leave the industry.

“The pre-press manager, planner estimator and two printers will come across, one of the other staff is coming over on a casual basis,” he says.

In relation to equipment following the merger, Hilliard says “We have had a serious look at it. We will have surplus equipment between the two companies which we will evaluate and get rid of in a month or so."

As for how the new company will be recognised, Hilliard says “For now both companies will keep their names, and in time we will decide what to do with branding.” 

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