CHRIS KING NEW QUEENSLAND MANAGER AT CMYKHUB

Long-time print industry leader, Chris King, is the new manager at national trade printer CMYKhub’s Queensland operation, which serves the state from its Brendale and Cairns facilities. 

Well known in the industry, King ran his own trade print business, CJ King, for 30 years, eventually selling the offset side in 2015, and the digital division last year, with the aim of retiring. However, he said, “Once a printer always a printer. Retirement didn’t suit me, I’m not ready for it. The opportunity to join CMYKhub was irresistible. Having been retired for two months, I found that I live and breathe print.

“I see that CMYKhub has taken over where we left off many years ago. This company has a great team of people working for a common goal, and the systems that are in place here are second to none. The company’s commitment to new technology and equipment is phenomenal.”

The Brendale CMYKhub facility has an RMGT 970PF-8 offset litho perfector, an HP Indigo 7r digital colour press, and in wide format it runs a SwissQ Nyala 2 and Mimaki UCJV300-160, together with a Kongsberg Cutting Table.

King said, “I have had 50 years in this industry, I still love to learn, and pass on any knowledge I have to others, hence the reason for taking this role. If I can help guide the Queensland team to be more efficient, productive, and happy to be part of this amazing operation, I also win.”

King was the founder and managing director of trade print business CJ King, which ran from 1993, originally in Perth and then from 2012 on the Gold Coast. In its day, it was one of the biggest trade printers in the country, with a fleet of long perfectors and HP Indigo digital presses. King was one of the pioneers of gang printing, and an early adopter of the internet.

Dayne Nankervis, managing director of CMYKhub said, “We believe in the potential of the Queensland print market, and have invested heavily in manufacturing at our Brisbane and Cairns facilities to support our brilliant trade partners. We have a fantastic team at these production hubs and wanted to add an extra layer of experience to support our production supervisors and sales manager. When mutual acquaintances introduced us to Chris, it was obvious he was driven to return to the print industry, and he was beaming with excitement to join our Queensland team.

“A respected leader, who has run a successful printing business with 50 years of experience, and eager to join CMYKhub, Chris was an obvious choice. We were most impressed by Chris’ character and values, that come from a background of family business, which very much aligned with ours. We look forward to seeing what success his positive energy can bring to our Queensland operation and resellers alike.”

Starting his apprenticeship in 1973 with Rank Xerox and then a year later with the Government Printing Office on its Goss Metro liner, King became officer in charge of the print works at the ripe old age of 20. After a stint in South Africa, he began his own printing business from his back yard in 1993. An innovative approach to print manufacturing saw the business grow rapidly, in one year alone, 2005, the company installed three new long perfectors, and by the time it moved to its Balcatta facility two years later it had 28 Heidelberg units running day and night.