Sydney print shop turns 50 after starting in 5x4m garage

Bright Print Group has celebrated a half century in the industry, having outlived electricity rationing, a submerged factory and industry consolidation.

WR Bright & Sons was formed in 1962 and initially operated out of William Robert Bright's Fairfield garage with a single linotype machine.

Bright Print Group, as it became known in 1991, is now run by William Robert's grandchildren, John Bright and Debbie Burgess (nee Bright).

WR Bright & Sons was mainly a typesetting business that supplied type for Fairfield Printery, which was owned by William Robert's sister, Maisie.

The first in a long line of acquisitions came in 1970 when William Robert bought out Maisie.

"The business was based in a shed behind her home at 29 Kenyon Street," said Burgess.

"My grandfather’s business was behind his home at 27 Kenyon Street. Merging the businesses was quite literally a matter of joining up the buildings in the backyard."

The company took over 31 Kenyon Street in 1991, before relocating to much more comfortable premises in Wetherill Park in 1996.

"The factory in Fairfield was built on low-lying ground so if it rained for four of five days, it would flood and 4-5 inches of water would cover the entire factory floor," said Burgess.

"Everybody wore gumboots. The oil that was in the drip trays at the bottom of the machines would end up all over the floors, making them very slippery…

"[Conditions] did not improve until the move to the new factory… For the first time, we were able to move around freely without getting wet feet!"

One of the most challenging periods at Fairfield was the 1975 electricity restrictions.

"Electricity was rationed and it was turned off every three hours for a three-hour period," said Burgess.

"When you are running equipment that requires lead to be molten to be used for type and the type is allowed to cool down, production was almost impossible.

"They improvised and used oxy-acetylene torches to keep the lead warm. They worked continuously from Friday morning to Sunday night to catch up."

The company acquired Cumberland Newspapers' commercial printing assets in 1975. More acquisitions followed, including Bloxham & Chambers in 2000 and Newcastle outfit NCP Printing in 2011.

"To survive 50 years in any industry is an enormous feat. Think of all the companies that have come and gone just in the past 10 years, least of all 50," said Burgess.

Bright Print Group has grown to become a 115-person operation specialising in offset printing (75%), digital printing (20%) and graphic design (5%), according to Burgess.

Click here to read Debbie Burgess' history of Bright Print Group.