Digital printer Immij Print has acquired 68-year old Sydney print and packaging business Robert Burtons Print and rebranded as ImmijBurtons as it targets the packaging market.
Burtons closed the doors at its Sefton facility in Sydney's west and last week moved the business into Immij's factory at Lane Cove on the Lower North Shore.
Burton's owner/MD David Hawkes and three staff members will stay on with the new business. Seven other Burtons employees were offered jobs but decided the new location was not convenient.
Some of Burton's machinery, including a Komori 5-colour plus coater as well as guillotines and folders have been moved into Lane Cove and the Komori is already up and running. One older machine was sold off.
Hawkes had been searching for the right partner for some time and says he's very happy with the move. “Immij has an excellent reputation for quality and service, and is also an employer of choice within the industry."
Immij CEO Scott Hillberg told Print21 that the company - which employs 150 staff in Sydney and Melbourne - is eager to reduce its reliance on commercial print and will continue to look for opportunities to expand.
"We see packaging as a strong growth area for us and this acquisition further strengthens our position in packaging in Sydney. We are always on the lookout for suitable bolt-on acquisitions that will enhance our capabilities and strengthen our market position.
"The challenges in the print industry are well documented and Immij has a strategy to grow our business outside of commercial print and we see packaging as a logic direction. In recent times we also have significantly grown our design business. Immij is a financially solid company that will continue to evolve with the change in market dynamics."
Hillberg says the new entity will trade as ImmijBurtons for the medium term.
"Immij sees Burtons as a strong, long standing brand in the Sydney market and we were keen to preserve it in the medium term. As with all organisations, at some point we will revisit our branding for the longer term."
ImmijBurtons offers offset, UV and digital printing, design, direct mail and print management services.