COVER STORY: AARQUE BRINGS DURST TO NEW ZEALAND

Aarque brings Durst to New Zealand

Nationwide service and support combines with world leading technology

A arque and Durst Oceania have announced a partnership for Aarque to supply and support Durst technology and solutions in New Zealand.

The companies will work closely to bring the range of Durst solutions to the local industry, alongside a complete service and support capability for Aarque customers.

A major supplier in the New Zealand market, Aarque is embracing the opportunity to bring Durst to the country. Leo Bult, co-director at Aarque, says, “As we see customers’ requirements changing, we work to provide them with the technology and solutions they need to succeed in their business. So, we are pretty excited about partnering with Durst.”

With a reputation for high end quality and productivity, Durst has enjoyed considerable success across the Tasman since the establishment of the Oceania Subsidiary. Matt Ashman, managing director of Durst Oceania, says, “Durst definitely sits in the high quality and high production end of the market but there are two sides to that story. First, we know people want to produce reasonable volumes quickly and at a high quality, but we are seeing that turnaround time is more important than capacity.

“Second, there is a misconception that Durst caters for only high volume large companies. Nothing could be further from the truth. Across several print sectors, Durst solutions are ideal for businesses of all sizes.

Leo Bult (l) co-director at Aarque with Matt Ashman, managing director of Durst Oceania

“These businesses may have two or three medium volume machines with two to four people running them. When you look at their production footprint and labour footprint, you can see how having one Durst printer can free up those people, who can be better purposed in other parts of the workflow or of the business.

“Durst builds the most technologically advanced printing machines in the world. They deliver a commercial business proposition with a return on investment that can’t be ignored. With a single operator, you have the ability to deliver a world class result. Durst provides automation and efficiencies with greater reliability.

“Every small to medium size business can benefit. From the Durst entry level label printer to the wide format P5 platform, which is designed for versatility, our solutions continue to surpass our customers’ requirements.”

Bult agrees that businesses of all sizes, across a range of industry sectors, will benefit from access to Durst solutions. He says, “We have many big customers who produce volume work in grand format. We know they are interested in Durst and the equipment will fit seamlessly into their operations, especially in an upgrade path. However, 95 per cent of the New Zealand market fits the small to medium size business model and we also know they will really benefit from Durst’s capabilities.

“Many businesses that now have a roll device and a rigid device started out with small machines. We see the opportunity for the Durst technology to align with small to medium size businesses.

“The life value of the printer is significant. The customer gets our support and that really protects the value of the brand. An important consideration is our ability to bring a complete solution to the customer in the five structural areas we represent.”

New markets

Both Aarque and Durst see companies looking for different marketplaces and they have solutions in any number of sectors such as wide format, labels, and textiles.

Ashman says, “For some time now, we have seen a significant breakdown in industry sector barriers such as from screenprint to wide format and from commercial print to packaging print and label print.

“The breaking down of those barriers is not really a printing thing. The challenge in entering labels or textiles is an intellectual one, and once you have made up your mind to expand your options, new revenue streams and opportunities will come.

“What this means is that print sector entrepreneurs can create new business units. It is incredible to see the potential for print, signage, labels and textiles.”

Wide format focus

Both companies see a focus in the wide format market up to 3.5m production using water-based and UV based formats in both roll and flat sheet.

Of particular interest is the Durst P5 350, a hybrid solution for roll and board printing up to 3.5m. In its High-Speed version its productivity reaches 650 square metres per hour. Ashman says. “Fast media changes, easy maintenance handling and full safety features deliver an efficient and effective printing process. It is about optimum performance, from pixel to output.”

Wide format productivity: The Durst P5 350 HS D4 + P5 Automat

Bult adds, “These machines are versatile. Some customers want a dual roll for five days and then 10,000 sheets of board. Durst solutions can handle all of that and more.”

At Fespa in May, Durst unveiled the P5 500, a 5.25 metre roll to roll LED press.

It features an integrated cutting system which means the press, which includes options for single or multi-roll setup, does not need to stop while cutting.

Durst offers Greenguard Gold certified VOC-free UV and LED inkjet ink systems. Ashman says, “High pigmentation helps deliver a high level of colour brilliance with low ink consumption. As a key factor for a successful and stable production, Durst ink systems are created in accordance with our quality, productivity and environmental standards.

Bult adds, “The Durst machines also fit well with the environmental direction we have taken with our media, in particular, our rigid media programme. Most of them are paper based stocks; that is what the customers are looking for. The market has changed from the days of plastic dominance. Aarque now offers an end-toend environmentally friendly solution.”

Labels and textiles

Also featured at Fespa: the latest solution in Durst’s Tau label platform, the Tau 330RSC E. Ashman says, “It offers a print speed up to 45 lineal metres per minute, from four to eight colours and fully upgradeable to 80 lineal metres per minute to guarantee future increased production capacity requirements are covered.”

Options include a high speed white, so operators can print with all colours and white at full rated speed. Applications range across commercial and industry sectors such as oil and electronic labels; cosmetics; toiletries and body care; beer, wine and spirits; stickers; tubes, commercial labels and many more.

Ashman adds, “The options for printing widths of 330mm, 420mm or 510mm enable operators to complete the full range of jobs from short to mid to long runs, all in the most cost-effective way. For ease of operation, the Durst Tau label platform offers jumbo winders and roll lifts for fast roll changes and good accessibility to print heads, UV-lamps and transport rollers.”

For labels and flexible packaging: The Durst Tau 330 RSC

Bult adds, “The trend to completely automated systems such as loading and unloading are definitely a driver for label converters. The Durst Tau platform automation delivers conformity and reliability with no worries about human error.

“Signage companies and commercial printers will see that this is another digital printer. So, if they are printing the packaging for a vineyard, now they can do the labels as well. They already have digital expertise.”

Globally and locally, textiles and soft signage continue to grow. Another Fespa debutant, the Durst P5 TEX iSUB prints direct to polyester, eliminating the need for a calender unit.

Based on the P5 platform, it prints 3.3 metres wide at a maximum speed of 383 square metres per hour. Like other P5 printers, its multi-roll feature makes it easier to change materials in practice, and it can accommodate dual rolls of 1.6 metres wide. Its integrated finishing unit allows it to sew and stitch inline to reduce material waste.

Ashman says, “This is ideal for progressive businesses who want to know how they can grow their piece of the pie. By changing that market space, they can grow their business.

“Additionally, re-shoring has increased here and in Australia. Shipping and supply chain problems caused by Covid-19 and other global influences mean that companies are having difficulty getting product out of China.

“This has given local print, signage, labels and packaging businesses the chance to take back work that would have headed

offshore three years ago. Their customers can now see there is a fantastic industry in their home country.

As businesses raise their game, they will prevent that work returning to China. Now is the ideal time to look at new markets.”

Long-termers

Aarque provides nationwide distribution and nationwide support. Four years ago, Aarque became a part of BJ Ball, which in turn is part of the larger Ball & Doggett Australasian Group. Japanese giant OVOL, formerly Japan Pulp and Paper, owns them all. Within this Group, Aarque operates autonomously.

Service and support matters: Aarque sales and technical staff will train at Durst headquarters in Brixen, Italy

Bult says, “We are a business of longtermers and we want to be a sustainable business. We are not into exponential growth. Those factors, combined with BJ Ball ownership gives us strength. It is a great partnership because they recognise the value in Aarque’s autonomy. We run our own sales and distribution network because our customers’ requirements are different.

“We are lucky to be able to operate in this way. In addition to that capability, we have received the support we needed, in these difficult couple of years, from our parent company. They enabled us to invest in people so we could ride out the pandemic.”

Aarque will send sales and technical staff to Durst headquarters at Brixen in Italy for training. Bult says, “It is vital for us to have those capabilities in terms of knowledge and serviceability.

“This partnership coincides with our move to the new home base in West Auckland. The future is exciting and it is fantastic to bring Durst on board.”

Ashman has spent more than 20 years with Durst, including stints in the UK and Europe. He gladly took the chance to helm Durst Oceania when it launched in 2019. He says, “Covid gave us a baptism of fire but we continued to grow. The Oceanic region is important to Durst and we are so pleased to have secured Aarque as a partner.

“Durst partners with companies that can match the brand. We are a familyowned company and we like to partner with similar companies. We are very old school. Durst was built on supporting small to medium sized businesses and so was Aarque.

“We are excited for the opportunity we have in partnering with Aarque to supply and support this amazing technology to New Zealand.”