The 102 year old company, which only changed hands a couple of years ago, purchased a refurbished, four-colour Sakurai Oliver 472 EDII and a new Watkiss DigiVac 12-bin fully automatic collator through Printing Supplies and Machinery
Managing director Steve D’Souza says Kalamazoo produces the largest range of manual business systems for sale through large format retailers and direct to other clients on its two-colour press and range of GTO’s. It upgraded to the four-colour Sakurai to expand its range of printing, and the purchase won’t be the first.
He says the new machine gives Kalamazoo the capacity to enter the four-colour market, making it very competitive across the range from business forms to glossy work.
The collator, on the other hand, was purchased to automate more of its operation. Collating had previously been done by hand.
“We do a lot of three and four-part forms and pads which were all being hand collated in our Auckland factory but with our turnover having increased by 100 per cent in the past 12 months, we have needed to speed up production and both these machines have helped do that.”
He says he chose to work with Printing Supplies and Machinery because of the relationship Kalamazoo has had with the company over the years, and with the deal that was offered, there was no reason to look elsewhere.
“The press is very good value for money, and we have a long standing service arrangement with PS&M who have serviced our other presses over the years,” he says.
The Sakurai is the first of many new machines Mr D’Souza intends installing to build the well-established company’s turnover.
D’Souza is the new owner of Kalamazoo, having purchased it in a management buyout when it came up for sale. He had previously worked as the company’s account manager and then as its sales manager after arriving in New Zealand in 2001. He’s worked in the printing industry in management in India and the Middle East for many years.
Kalamazoo has two factories located in Auckland and Christchurch and employs a total of 52 staff.
It is expanding to the point that they are now looking at moving to a design build factory on a larger site in East Tamaki, Mr D’Souza says.
