Sydney digital and offset printer Imagination Graphics is pushing ahead with an expansion strategy after the acquisition of Marrickville neighbour Lindwall & Wall.
“They’re an offset and digital business and I’ve known them for a while because I did their design, prepress and digital printing,” says Imagination owner Emmanuel Buhagiar. “We decided to buy the data base, some machinery and take on two of their staff.”
The Lindwall & Wall deal is Imagination’s second recent purchase, following last year’s buy-out of offset business Staas Printing. Imagination moved its entire operation into the former Staas building at 33-35 Sydney St Marrickville after a major renovation of the premises.
Imagination’s impressive machinery line-up now includes a new digital Accurio Press C6100, a Konica Minolta bizhub 1085, two Epson Poster printers, an Agfa Avalon N8-12 CtP for internal and Trade work, Mimaki A2 digital die-cutter and top slitter, Polar 115 Guillotine, Two Colour Heidelberg MO, Two Colour GTO with Varn, Single Colour GTO, a Morgana UFO Five Folder and a range of finishing equipment.
Buhagiar says the expanded business is doing well, with existing client volumes jumping 30 percent over the past year. “We’re doing a lot of trade printing and pre-press work for a lot of other printers along with our own clients.”
The upbeat and amiable owner credits his staff for driving the progress of the medium-sized commercial printing business in a tight market.
“I am blessed to have the best staff in Australia and I have said that for years,” Buhagiar says. “My wife Colleen does all accounts, my son-in-law Brad Sly is production manager in the digital section and Todd Singles is production manager in the offset section.
“The Lindwall & Ward staff with the Staas Printing staff have united very well with the Imagination Graphics staff to make it a wonderful place to work. It is a big plus to enjoy your working environment. Earlier this year we put on two casual printers/finishing department staff and this month we’ve added an apprentice to print, guillotine, die-cutting and finishing.
“I could not do it without them. I do 100 percent of the sales and they do all the work,” he jokes. "They will get the job done at any cost because l believe they like working for Imagination Graphics."
A print, pre-press and graphic design company established in 1998, Imagination Graphics was based at Chapel St, Marrickville in Sydney's Inner West for almost 19 years before moving last year to the former Staas building in nearby Sydney St.
