Melbourne-based Vivad has marked a major milestone – its 25th anniversary – with a stylish celebration and exclusive open house event, showcasing both its rich history and ambitious future.
The event followed a major expansion of Vivad’s production facility, which has grown significantly from 4,000sqm to an impressive 7,500sqm.
To celebrate the occasion, the company welcomed clients, suppliers, and industry peers to its state-of-the-art premises for a behind-the-scenes look at its enhanced print capabilities.
Guests were treated to a guided tour of the expansive large-format print facility, now housing an extensive suite of advanced machinery, which includes an impressive fleet of five Durst machines, including a P5 Tex iSub dye sublimation printer and a P5 350 HS hybrid printer.
Attendees also took part in the VivTrack Web-to-Print Games – an interactive live showcase of the company’s Web-to-Print system. Events included the Carr Group dye sublimation steeplechase, the Spicers vinyl banner velodrome, the Currie Group SAV print shot put, and the Corex Corflute Challenge. Guiding each team through the games were the Vivad account managers – aptly dubbed team captains – who kicked off the race by scanning QR codes to initiate the print process.
Festivities continued in the newly acquired adjacent warehouse, featuring live entertainment including a DJ, a live band, and a headline comedy performance by Sam McCool.
“It’s been an incredible journey over the last 25 years,” said Ewen Donaldson, Vivad founder and managing director.
“Starting a business in the printing industry can be fraught with danger and risk. Back then, I bit off more than I could chew, and I chewed very hard. I think that formed a bit of a habit when you look at this amazing [new] space. So, I’m up for another 10 years of chewing very hard.”
During his speech, Donaldson acknowledged and thanked his entire team as well as Vivad’s customers.
“We’re an organisation of people and everybody has an important role to play. We wouldn’t be able to do the things we do without the hard work and the dedication of everybody,” he said.
“I want to thank our customers. It’s because of you that we get to do the things that we do. You bring us challenges and opportunities. You entrust us with your projects, and for that, we are very grateful. We’re driven by your success, and we strive to serve you better.”
He also extended appreciation to suppliers, competitors, and the wider industry.
“I want to [thank our suppliers] for your support in assisting us to deliver on our commitments. Thank you for being bringing us new technologies, new substrates, and more sustainable alternatives,” he said.
“I also want to thank our competitors. Thank you for motivating me to get up in the morning. You set the bar higher, which motivates me to set the bar higher again. You keep us on our toes, and you keep me sharp and agile.
“I also want to acknowledge the industry. There’s a there’s an incredible amount of camaraderie in this industry. Everybody works with each other in a positive way. And when you look at the growth over the last 25 years, when we started with our first 5m solvent printer, it’s just amazing how much print there is around.
“Print is everywhere. There are so many applications and there are so many new applications. This industry provides purpose, opportunities, livelihoods for thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of people. And I’m particularly excited about the younger people who are just getting started in this industry. This is fertile ground for emerging leadership, and I hope that Vivad can provide part of the journey for these people.”
So where to from here for Vivad?
“Vivad has been growing. We have been on a growth trajectory of 12 per cent since we moved into the factory next door [1958 Sydney Road] 10 years ago,” Donaldson said.
“We’re now three and a half times the size we were in terms of staff and turnover and we were running out of room. So, when [the factory next door – 1960 Sydney Road] became available, we thought, well, we have to back ourselves and bite off another 10 years of excitement.
“Am I up for it? Absolutely, we’re just warming up in fact. This new space is really a blank canvas. We’ve got new frontiers, new horizons and ideas that we haven’t had yet. This is a great space to grow and innovate.”
Read more about Vivad’s 25th anniversary celebrations and complete photo gallery in the upcoming issue of ProPrint magazine.
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