VIRUS: Durst ensuring supplies of ink and parts

Durst is ramping up the ink and parts it is sending its distributors around the world, including to the newly opened Durst Oceania, in order to be ready for any tightening of supply lines in the wake of the ongoing and unpredictable coronavirus outbreak.

Durst Oceania has already received a significant additional volume of inks and parts for both its wide format and label printing systems, with more on its way to the national distribution centre in Melbourne.

Matt Ashman, managing director of Durst Oceania said, “Durst has taken the decision at head office to ensure its customers around the world, including Australia and New Zealand, will have uninterrupted supply. No-one knows how far the impact of coronavirus will go, but we will be ready to keep our customers printing however it plays out.”

The Durst head office and main factory is located about four hours' drive north of the Italian red zone on the Italian Australian border. Ashman said, “The company is not in direct threat of the virus, but we are concerned, like all international manufacturers should be, over shipping, which may come under serious pressure.

“In light of that head office has instigated a programme which will see each subsidiary significantly increase its inventory as of now, to ensure customers can remain confident of supply. Our shelves are full, with more to come.”

UV inks are particularly susceptible to any cessation of trade with China, and while Durst inks are not made in China they contain, like almost all UV inks, photo-initiators and other ingredients that are virtually all manufactured in China.

Ashman said, “We all had the experience a few years ago when the main plants in China were closed following a huge fire. Since then Durst has been stockpiling all the ingredients it needs to ensure it can continue to manufacture and supply ink.”

Durst Oceania opened for business last November, with the company previously being represented here through PES. It supplies both wide format print systems, and label presses, both of which it manufactures itself.

Print21 reported last week on the concern that the virus may have on supply lines, particularly those with an element in China, Korea or Italy.