WA business booms with print shop acquisition

Rod Hambley, owner of Minuteman Press Welshpool says his decision to acquire local independent print shop Images on Paper last year, has resulted in record sales and continued growth.

Hambley, an ex-banker, who has owned the Minuteman Press printing franchise in Welshpool, Perth since 2005, purchased the 15-year print shop Images on Paper a year ago, merging the two businesses and equipment. He says he has been producing more work in-house since the equipment was added.

“I purchased Images on Paper a year ago, as I have been keen on it for a number of years, and the owner was recently looking to retire,” said Hambley, explaining that the opportunity to purchase the IOP business was presented through a separate program Minuteman was running.

Following the acquisition, Hambley said he has continued to grow the Welshpool-based franchise's core business, and that it has been fruitful, with the numbers in line with past expectations with minimal loss expected.

“Our core print business is always in high demand and I always keep this as my main focus. We offer our clients high quality printing from our wide format machine which produces posters, signage, and stickers of all shapes and sizes. Our digital machine prints booklets, flyers, business cards, and much more. We also still run an offset machine for NCR Books, envelopes, and spot colour work that are all still in demand," said Hambley, confirming that the advantages to merging the equipment have resulted in an extension of in-house services, including IT and management quoting.

“It is important for local businesses to market and promote themselves. We can design and produce the items they need for those purposes, as well as printing of workbooks, forms, and other items needed for their operations.”

Hambley also purchased Can Print, a small closing business, which he acquired several years ago.

Prior to buying Minuteman Press in Welshpool, Hambley, who has a Business Degree in Front Line Business Management, worked in the banking industry for 25 years. He says he discovered Minuteman Press at a franchise show, and after finding a rapport with Minuteman's regional vice president, saw it as a viable option to venture into, when his banking days ceased.

Hambley says that many of the skills gained in banking have served him well, and have helped him achieve business success today.