It’s been a huge year for Fiona and Rod Johns, owners of the Minuteman Press outlet in Springvale, Victoria.
Not only have they celebrated two decades in business, but they also achieved a record month of sales in March and in May bought another print business and in doing so moved into new premises at Mulgrave which are three-times bigger than the ones they originally occupied.
“At the end of May, we moved from our first location after 20 years. We moved one kilometre to 29B Glenvale Crescent, Mulgrave. We had outgrown where we were and needed more room to be even more efficient and to be able to fit more printing/finishing machinery,” Fiona said.
“There was already a printing business in the new location, and we have acquired the business as the owner was looking to retire. The new business concentrates more on wide format printing, so we are looking at expanding into that area and expanding his business list.
“We were incredibly excited to move on many fronts. We have been able to spread out and set up a better workflow. It also means we have the capability of buying stock in bulk and therefore negotiating better prices. We have more defined areas which I think makes work easier for my staff and therefore keeps them happy. We are looking forward to expanding the business further and having many years in our new location.”
The biggest growth areas the Johns have experienced in their business is in label printing, books, wide format, and graphic design.
“These four areas have really pushed our business along. We invested in a label machine and now can offer short (or long) run labels on rolls,” Fiona said.
“We do a lot of graphic design for other print related businesses and for our clients. We have invested in two wide format printers and have grown that area of our business. We print a lot of short to medium run of books, which has been a real growth area.”
This husband-and-wife team haven’t always been in printing. Prior to purchasing a Minuteman Press franchise, Fiona had worked as an architect and Rod was an engineer. They had been impacted by the financial downturn in the 1990s and wanted to diversify into an unrelated area. After visiting a franchise trade show they decided purchasing a Minuteman Press franchise was perfect for them.
“Support from MMP is always available, they have helped in all areas of my business. Our local representative is always willing to give advice or help problem solve. Both local and international reps have assisted with negotiations in buying equipment. FLEX software is invaluable for quoting. The regular upgrades ensure it keeps up with pricing changes in our industry,” Fiona said.
Reflecting back on 20 years in the printing industry, Fiona said there are three keys to success:
- Having incredible staff who can provide excellent customer service and product a quality product.
- Providing a positive ethos in the work environment and with customers.
- Keeping up to date with latest technology and ensuring all staff are well trained.
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