German graphics manufacturer Orafol Group has acquired leading supplier Australian Graphic Supplies (AGS) as it steps up a major expansion into the Australian market.
[Note, this AGS company is not Glenn Maynard's Australian Graphics Servicing, the Melbourne-based electrical servicing, consumables and equipment supplier.)
The deal comes two months after Orafol bought three Australian distribution businesses - Artmart in Melbourne, Signmaker Supplies in Perth and Major Tom in Adelaide - and announced it was opening a new Australian head office and distribution centre on the Gold Coast.
Orafol has appointed industry veterans Greg Nicholls as managing director and Anthony Kioussis as sales director to lead the integration of the Australian group of companies.
Following recent acquisitions of all other Orafol state-based distributors, the AGS acquisition provides Orafol with a national distribution footprint that will allow the business to forge stronger, direct-supply and advanced technical support relationships with its customers, said Orafol Europe in a company press release.
Factory-direct pricing and a new ERP-integrated e-commerce platform will cement Orafol’s position as a top-tier supplier to Australian sign makers and digital printers.
The AGS (QLD) Graphic Innovations team will be relocated into Orafol’s new 4,000sqm distribution centre in Ormeau, south of Brisbane (pictured, above). The business unit will operate alongside the company’s Reflective Solutions division, which focuses on vehicle conspicuity, traffic control and personal safety materials.
The AGS (NSW) team will continue to operate out of the Sydney distribution centre in Eastern Creek.
Orafol Group is a leading manufacturer of graphic products, reflective materials and adhesive tapes. Headquartered in Oranienburg, Germany, Orafol has evolved into a global player with manufacturing and distribution units around the world.
“The focus on the Australian market is part of a consistent strategy aimed at dynamic growth, innovative products and a dedication to customer needs, which in turn has become the basis of Orafol’s continued global success,” said Dr. Holger Loclair, managing director of Orafol Europe GmbH. “We will continue to look for opportunities to increase our global presence either through acquisition or expansion.”
Orafol Australia distributes leading brands of wide-format equipment, inks, substrates and accessories alongside the full line of Oracal, Oramask, Oratape, Orajet and Oraguard self-adhesive films, supported by a national team of over 60 staff.
AGS is a leading provider of services, consumables, equipment sales and spare parts to the printing industry throughout Australia.