Acquisition-hungry Pegasus buys first Memjet-powered Fuji Xerox machine

This article was found on www.proprint.com.au (Austrailia)

Acquisition-hungry Pegasus buys first Memjet-powered Fuji Xerox machine

2 May 2013 |  Nick Bendel

Pegasus Print Group has invested in the first Memjet-powered wide-format machine in Australia – and is also on the acquisition trail.

The Sydney print group, which has a production hub in Blacktown and a retail outlet in North Sydney, has generated significant savings in turnaround times and energy use since installing the Fuji Xerox DocuWide C842 in early April, said chief executive Wayne Finkelde.

Finkelde told ProPrint that an ongoing weekly order of 10,500 posters that used to take 25 hours to produce can now be done in 15 hours.

He said the main reason the A1 printer ordered the C842 was to allow Pegasus to do A0 work, which it has traditionally outsourced. Pegasus has started bringing back that work in-house, and expects a majority to eventually return, said Finkelde.

"The more you can keep work in-house, the more you're going to be in front… I've been chasing Fuji Xerox for one of these machines for years," he said.

ProPrint attended the launch event for the DocuWide C842, which was held yesterday at the Fuji Xerox Australia Epicentre in Sydney.

Fuji Xerox said the $156,000 machine is "the fastest wide-format device currently available in the market". It can reach speeds of 320sqm per hour and has 1,067mm wide print capabilities.

National business manager for wide-format Peter Collings said it was ideal for runs between 50 and 1,000.

"The ease of use, rapid speed and variable data input improves operational efficiency by reducing turnaround times and allows our customers to focus on what matters in the business – to grow and prosper," said Collings.

"The DocuWide C842 is designed to meet these demands, enabling businesses to improve design drawings and marketing communications, as well as handle timely outputs and a large range of large print job requirements."

Meanwhile, Finkelde told ProPrint that Pegasus wanted to diversify by acquiring other businesses – although he added that nothing specific was in the pipeline.

He said the 210-staff firm wanted to move up the value chain into content creation and down into distribution so it could exercise greater control over the life cycle of the products it produced.

Finkelde said Pegasus was looking to acquire digital printers and packaging firms, and was also eyeing design, transport and distribution companies.

"We need to buy businesses that are going to improve our business and revenue stream," he said.