Pulse raises industry heart rate with China print post

Print broker Pulse Print Solutions is causing industry ire with an online post promoting a job it is producing for a local business – which is being printed in China.

Michael Baley, director at Pulse, is using a printer in China to produce a catalogue for iconic Aussie company homebuilder Domain Homes.

The post shows press operators at the unnamed Chinese print factory checking a sheet, with Baley saying they are checking “to ensure a high quality finish”.

Baley said using a Chinese printer was a straightforward financial decision, commenting, “Even with the Aussie dollar at an all-time low, these brochures were approximately 70 per cent more economical to produce offshore. With the housing economy also struggling at the minute, I am afraid it was a no-brainer for the client to consider producing these brochures offshore.”

More than a dozen industry identities weighed into the post, ranging from those like Craig Foley who say it is “sad”, to Ray Berwick at Quadient, who says, “sad days for Aussie printer, Mr Belay please explain.”

Others comment on the likelihood of the job not coming up to Australian standards, with Mark McDonald at CCL Labels saying, “a lot of press checking required”, to Mark Simpson at CMYKhub who says when he was at The Bindery, “The amount of jobs that came in for repair after being printed and bound in China was astonishing – good luck.”

Still others question Baley for his choice – Baden Kirgan at Jeffries Printing said “I don't imagine this is a great ad for your client”, while Colin Lamond from Percival Print & Packaging said, “Poor form, keep it local and serve your community.” Brent Williamson at Blue Star Direct said, “Australian companies pay you, and you repay Australians by printing overseas”, and Ian Lockwood at Wellcom echoed that sentiment, saying, “If the work stays here the dollars go back around and into the economy here. Remember the Buy Your Kids a Job campaign.”

Summing up the sentiment, Tony Pothercay, who worked for several major high-quality printers including Pegasus, Finsbury Green, Geon, and Dashing said, “Did he really expect everyone to say congrats on printing your brochure in China??? Seriously???”