Managing director Rhys Daube says that adding the division to his existing new and used printing equipment sales business has been a natural progression in a market where well trained and experienced people are a diminishing commodity.

“A lot of engineers are now retiring and they are not being replaced. So good engineers are really in demand,” he says.

“We started off with two engineers and now have three full-time specialists who carry out all our installation and warranty work, plus take on outside service work. The new division gives us much more control over our work scheduling.”

Rhys says the three engineers are well known in the printing industry having all been factory trained and having run their own businesses. They also have their own area of expertise.

Tony Bankart is a Sakurai specialist who is also experienced in designing and building machinery for special applications.

“He’s built a lot of machinery for one-off projects such as a carton gluing machine producing small boxes and a machine for cutting and packaging sandpaper,” Rhys says.

“He can he can design and build just about anything.”

Kevin Omara is a well known Heidelberg serviceman who also specialises in bindery equipment.

The company’s third engineer, Ian Hurlock is also very experienced in Heidelberg presses, along with continuous forms, web machines and binding equipment.

Rhys says that while all three have been in business for themselves they have opted to work within a small company environment.

The company now provides a full machine shop facility in its East Tamaki premises which enables it to design press componentry for add-on applications on site.

“There’s quite a demand for refurbishing and rebuilding presses because it prolongs the life of a machine indefinitely.”

Rhys says he would like to grow that part of his business and employ an electrical engineer in the future to work on some of the more automated presses now available.

Printing Supplies and Machinery also services machinery outside New Zealand, having recently travelled to Fiji, Tahiti and the Cook Islands.

It supplies both new and used printing equipment and its agencies include Sakurai Oliver offset presses, Saber guillotines, Microcut programmable guillotine controllers and Durselen paper drilling systems.

Comment below to have your say on this story.

If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.  

Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter