2023 SIGN & DISPLAY: WALTON BUYS BIG

David Walton, CEO of outdoor, POS, vehicle wrapping and retail display print businesses Omnigraphics and MMTB, bought the companies from current owner, outdoor giant QMS.

Walton, who has been CEO since September, will remain in that position, with the two companies remaining in their respective facilities in Melbourne and Brisbane, although senior management will now work across both businesses.

Walton said, “This is a real opportunity to move forward with the high skill levels, market understanding, and innovation that Omnigraphics and MMTB possess.”

Current owner QMS wants to focus on its digital asset business, with digital now approaching two thirds of all outdoor media revenue, and an even higher figure at QMS, and taking over many of the country’s prime sites. However, Walton said, “New static sites are going up, new static customers are coming on board, and the two businesses have also diversified into other growth segments; in retail display, in POS, and in vehicle wrapping. The future is bright.”

Based in Melbourne, Omigraphics is now 20 years old, and has been part of QMS for the past eight years. MMTB is located in Brisbane, it is now 30 years old, and has been part of QMS for the past eight years. Both companies have around 35 staff, and a host of modern production equipment, including the Inca Onset X3 installed in 2019, which it upgraded to the HS (high speed) version two years ago.

Walton said, “There has been a changing of the guard, the previous national sales manager and chief financial officers have moved on. Under the new structure senior management will have responsibility for both brands. I sit in Melbourne, along with the COO, Gerard Mudford , while the CFO, Lisa Crellin and national sales manager, Jarrod Whyte are in Brisbane.”

Walton has been with the business for the past 15 years, starting on the shop floor and working his way up. He said, “The Omnigraphics and MMTB brands will remain, the production facilities will remain as they are. The customers will receive the same high levels of service and print, the only difference for now will be that they will notice we are more agile.”

QMS is owned by private equity fund Quadrant, which paid $570m for it four years ago. Quadrant had previously owned APN outdoor, before selling it to JC Deceaux for $1.2bn in 2018.