QLM MAKES MAJOR MOVE WITH ELNA PRESS ACQUISITION

Australian and SE Asia label printing business QLM Label Makers has acquired Melbourne-based label printer Elna Press, and will move its Victorian operations into the Elna factory in Moorabbin.

Established in 1958 by Elsie and Neville Coon, Elna has a history of service and innovation, and is responsible for some major breakthroughs in domestic label printing. Trevor Coon, former managing director of Elna Press, will now take a consultancy role with the business.

QLM says the deal creates a comprehensive Australian manufacturing platform for the QLM Group, significantly adding to its manufacturing capabilities, while Elna customers will see an expanded range of products and services including premium and blank labels, folded cartons, flexible packaging and the sale and service of thermal and colour label printers and consumables.

Simon Pugh, managing director of QLM Labelmakers said, ““The QLM Group maintains the need for strong Australian ownership and diverse manufacturing operations that offer an alternative to the multinationals who now own the majority of the label space. The completion of this acquisition takes the QLM Group to a local market presence, where it is able to compete with multinational companies, while still remaining true to QLM’s mission to create long-term, mutually rewarding relationships with all of our stakeholders.”

Coon said “After 63 years in business, as one of the founding label manufacturers in Australia, our family has decided to pass the baton on to a new team to take Elna to the next level. We are delighted that Elna Press will be in the capable hands of Simon Pugh and his team at QLM. It has been a privilege for us to have worked with so many wonderful clients, often over many years. Their support and loyalty have meant a great deal to myself and our team.”

The acquisition of Elna Press comes after an extensive due diligence with CDI Global, and completes a number of acquisitions and machinery investment for the QLM Group in 2021/22, including the addition of a separate flexible packaging manufacturing facility in Melbourne.

The QLM Group says it has has built its success on providing a diverse and flexible manufacturing platform, delivering a range of options that work for clients and job sizes, ranging from local heroes through to multinationals. It says its investments “clearly demonstrate QLM’s commitment to reinvesting profits into the development of Australian manufacturing and personnel”.

Pugh goes on to state,“We are always looking for strategic and innovative investments in Australia, especially in great people, technology and also companies such as Elna, which add to the depth of the Group. QLM also works to develop strong localised companies across Asia Pacific. We are the only Australian-owned label company with a presence in APAC and we are proud ambassadors of brand Australia in Cambodia, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Vietnam, employing 380 people across five factories in Asia.”