$500m Gravure Plant Plans in Australia

[dwanehollands]

Not sure if anyone else is aware of this, but IPMG Group (very large heatset printer in Australia) is talking about a $500m (AUD) Gravure plant in Australia.

First one in Australia for 30 years aparently. My question is this:

What is the benefit of Gravure over heatset? Why not invest in a mega heatset facility?

 

[gordo]

Greater run length. Greater consistency. Ability to pour more ink on the substrate. "Simpler" process since it's direct. Can do UV ink. Better metallics.

gordo

my photos here: Gordon Pritchard's Photography
my sketches here: Sketches by Gordon Pritchard

 

[dancingfox]

more capacity for a contracting market segment. Just what we all need.

 

[rich apollo]

$500 million in Australia might be better spent on sunscreen, solar power and shark repellent.

 

[gordo]

more capacity for a contracting market segment. Just what we all need.

I have visited and worked with the printers in the IPMG Group in Australia, and I can understand why they would consider such an expansion as well as the adoption of gravure.
Speaking in general terms, and I am speculating here, countries such as Australia, where internet is very expensive (relative to N America) and has restrictions for the general consumer as far as download/upload volume is concerned - enjoy quite a vibrant magazine print environment both in terms of number of titles as well as percentage of ad space to editorial.
One metric you may go by for how well the magazine/newspaper market is doing in any locale is to see how many internet cafés there are. In OZ there are very many. You'll often get a free coffee when you pay for internet access in a convenience store. In N.A. it's usually the opposite - free internet with a paid cup of coffee.

best, gordo

my photos here: Gordon Pritchard's Photography
my sketches here: Sketches by Gordon Pritchard

 

[Wayzgoose]

Dwayne, the $500m is a massive overstatement of the actual investment. The DA documents lodged make reference to 2 x Presses and 2 x High speed stitcjing lines (Ferags i presume).
It is all to be built on the old Visy Board site in Warwick Farm (south Western Sydney). I assume that in time IPMG will close the Alexandria site and move Hannanprint (heatset web) onto the same site. IPMG is known for it's print assets (Offset Alpine, Hannanprint, Craft Inprint and NDD), but is also a major property developer in Eastern Sydney - and the existing Hannanprint site will be worth much more as apartments and shopping malls!
As for the print market, as Gordo pointed out Gravure has some attractive qualities, but i think relative to our market here in Australia is the ability to print high quality on lower gammages - given the vast distances retail inserts and catalogues have to travel IPMG may be able to offer huge savings on freight and paper costs for the major retailers, as well as some of the trashy weeklies that dominate our circulation numbers.

 

[pete45]

gravure

gravure

hi there just read about new printing project out there, with IPMG western sydney. I am already working in the gravure industry and fine this a very lucrative industry.. Our company is in europe with 5 different locations. In the past 3 years we opened a new proint production withinital costs. it has taken some 3 years to recover despite the credit crunch in europe.
I am interested in IPMG but as i am not from Aus I dont have details of this company at present.. Do you think you can find details of the company or a local recruitment company..
thanks