CanPrint wins $1.1m contract; parent Opus restructures management

A one-stop-shop approach has seen Opus Group's CanPrint Communications sign a $1.1 million Federal government contract.

AusIndustry's general manager of business development, Wendy Launder, told ProPrint that CanPrint had secured the two-year deal for printing, warehousing and distribution ahead of two other companies from the department's warehouse and distribution panel.

The contract started on 1 May and gives AusIndustry two one-year extension options, according to Launder.

CanPrint's other recent successes include a $1.5 extension with the Australian National Audit Office, $300,000 of Federal Budget work and a prominent campaign that saw the Canberra-based company print special Valentine's Day cards for the Prime Minister and other politicians.

The AusIndustry deal will see CanPrint produce material for use by the department, its staff and its target audience such as small business owners.

CanPrint general manager Sam Holden told ProPrint that he couldn't comment on this specific contract, only the Canberra market in general.

"Customers seem to be trying to buy whole-of-document services which incorporates production, storage, distribution and the various offshoots of that, such as mail and content management," he said.

"This proves to be cost-effective for the customers and obviously provides CanPrint with more than one revenue stream."

Holden said the contract win vindicated Opus' approach with its subsidiaries, "which is to provide niche value-added services to customers who rely on us to give a business solution".

Meanwhile, McPherson's Printing Group's former national sales manager, Greg Brown, has become the highest-profile causality of the Opus merger.

Brown was one of a number of redundancies to take place two months after the reverse takeover.

Group chief executive Cliff Brigstocke told ProPrint that former digital and innovation manager Dimi Dimech would now take on a combined role as sales and innovation manager.

"As we've brought the businesses together we have identified that there was duplication in roles… [and] combining the sales and innovation components is a good way to engage with customers more strategically and with innovative solutions as a focus," he said.

Brigstocke wouldn't reveal how many employees were laid off or whether any more restructuring was planned.

However, he did say that "like any large business joining forces with another we have and will monitor staff numbers in line with new technology investments and market and economic conditions".

Brown did not comment when contacted by ProPrint.

The merged Opus made its ASX debut on 10 April. Click here for all the photos.