Eckersley Print Group celebrates 50 years
Eckersley Print Group is celebrating 50 years in business, marking its achievements, acquisitions and evolution to become one of the leading print operations in Queensland that it is today.
Celebrating: Eckersley Print Group
Print21 spoke to sales and marketing director, Lea Eckersley about the family business, its development, evolution and steps towards becoming the successful ISO14001 Enviro-accredited AND FSC certified business, a recognised innovator in the Queensland printing sphere, and winner of multiple state and national print industry awards for excellence in print.
In 1971, a young and driven man, named James Eckersley, followed his dream to create a printing business of his own. Jannock Press as it was called, is an English word meaning "fair and straight forward". This initial, defining framework has formed the guiding value for the family company's identity ever since.
"Dad patented the mounting of nylo plates onto steel blocks and was an early pioneer in the re-use of these nylo plates for repeat work. This innovative and different way of thinking became a hallmark for the business, before innovation became the buzzword of today," explains Lea, who joined the company in 2018.
Since then Eckersley Print Group has carved out a reputation as a quality operation, adding several acquisitions to the business. Today it produces commercial print, sign and display, office print management, warehousing, logistics, design & publishing services.
The business has evolved greatly since 1983, when current managing director Tom Eckersley started his print apprenticeship with the company, then taking up the role of managing director, eight years later at the age of 25, when he acquired the business with brothers Jim and Luke, renaming it Print Approach in 1991.
Under a strategic path of growth via acquisition, other companies joined the fold including Imprint, ABC Printing and Nicholson Printing, Easi-File, The Printing Office & Fine Print. The company was rebranded under Eckersley Print Group in 2017 and in 2018, added Cross & Hamilton Printers to the fold.
Lea says that one of the main reasons for Eckersley's success is its team and core family values. "There is an amazing spirit and tenacity from our team which defines our success and more recently, the way we are managing and dealing with the Covid factor," she says, confirming Eckersley's creed of "Great people, Great solutions!"
As part of the celebration, the organisation held a themed party with 60 people in attendance.
