The ability to produce high-grade work on a \u2018print-on-demand\u2019 basis is something that has added immense value to the Linden, Johannesburg, South Africa business\u2026<\/p>\n
Templers turn corner print shop around with Xerox<\/p>\n
Five years ago Chris Templer sold his share of a radiator core manufacturing business before deciding, with his son Michael, to buy an ailing walk-in printing business in Linden, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.graphicrepro.co.za\/assets\/2\/pic\/Bytes%20Templer.jpg\")
\u2018I had over 30 years of experience in the motor trade, but both Michael and I were disillusioned and wanted to move into something new,\u2019 said Chris. \u2018We immediately excluded food and the motor trade because of the extremely long hours typical of the industry. It\u2019s ironic now that we work from 7:00am to 6:30pm \u2013 bearing in mind that we drive from Springs to Linden and back every day.\u2019<\/p>\n
Pictured: left to right Michael and
\nChris Templer with their Xerox 4110 digital press.<\/p>\n
The long hours were crucial to turning around the printing business.<\/p>\n
\u2018We knew nothing about printing when we bought the business,\u2019 said Chris. His career has included industrial diamond research for De Beers at the Diamond Research Laboratory, and he has a strong mechanical background.<\/p>\n
\u2018I\u2019ve found little real difference between industries; the difference is rather in how you apply your knowledge. The guts of the shop contained three A3 lithographic printers from Eastern Europe, one serviceable black-and-white copier, and another that had passed its sell-by date. We could see that the old printers that were here when we bought the business were a major part of the problem,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n
\u2018The one black-and-white copier was shot. We threw it out and put in Xerox machines. Xerox is the best there is in the copying and printing industry and we knew we could trust the equipment, after all they invented the process in the first place,\u2019 said Chris.<\/p>\n
Xerox is also an expert in digital print and workflow technology. It has one of the most comprehensive and diverse range of solutions, including hardware, workflow, applications and services for the printing, graphic arts and enterprise customers. \u2018We knew the company offered us a one-stop shop, with hardware and software from one, integrated partner,\u2019 added Chris.<\/p>\n
\u2018Xerox has a sophisticated direct sales channel, a select network of partner firms and a wide range of indirect channel partners, critical to a business such as ours.\u2019<\/p>\n
Relationships, he added, are essential for infant businesses and those looking to survive a recession.<\/p>\n
\u2018All of our clients bar one have been referred to us because we have maintained good relationships. We did that by ensuring that we met the three requirements in any business: quality, service and price,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n
As in many trades, printers rely on the quality of their tools. \u2018Bigger, stronger and more powerful printers breed their own work provided you maintain the three legs of the equation and subsequently we don\u2019t hunt work; it comes to us.<\/p>\n
\u2018When we bought the Xerox 4110 press, we were delighted because it\u2019s a high-volume machine, but the technician who commissioned it called it the baby of digital production, so there\u2019s room for some more growth! We\u2019ve since racked up 5 million A3 clicks on it, so for us it\u2019s a monster. We also operate a DocuColor 252 colour digital press with a DC3535 on permanent standby to take up the slack when required.<\/p>\n
\u2018The new digital presses are extremely good. The changes in technology even over the last five years we\u2019ve been connected to the industry have been phenomenal \u2013 the machines are 100 per cent reliable and the quality of print is such that it has opened up new lines of business for us. We\u2019ve printed books, for example, 300 case-bound books in three days for a Nigerian cabinet minister, and 16,800 tickets on the 252 in less than two days for the Federation Cup of Nations hosted by South Africa.\u2019<\/p>\n
The ability to produce high-grade work on a \u2018print-on-demand\u2019 basis is something that has added immense value to the business, in some instances providing a proofing and feeder platform for the lithographic aspect of the business.<\/p>\n
Xerox\u2019s unerring ability to provide the correct equipment at the right time and a strong quality-oriented business model has helped the business grow from virtually nothing into a fair-sized shop with good capabilities.<\/p>\n
Aside from the digital presses, Templer Industries also has its own Heidelberg A1 lithographic press which provides the medium- to long-run capacity. \u2018It was a big deal for when the press was installed, to us it\u2019s a monster, and the change from A3 to A1 has hugely impacted our capability and profitability \u2013 that said, the commissioning of the 4110 and subsequently the 252 was just as huge for us,\u2019 added Michael.<\/p>\n
\u2018The two processes complement one another well in our business \u2013 if we\u2019re jammed on the litho side, the digital can always take up the slack and small runs, normally difficult, are exactly right for the digital environment.\u2019<\/p>\n
Capture new digital business
\nTempler Industries has also used the combination of digital and lithographic equipment to develop customers. For example, a client, International Truss Systems, initially wanted only one invoice book, which was easily produced on the digital equipment, but the workload has since grown into a large and varied range of products such as promotional stands for the company\u2019s DIY products, regularly producing labels and packaging of a range of special nails and various other print media.<\/p>\n
\u2018The focus of our next growth stage,\u2019 said Michael, \u2018will be the expansion of our digital capability. We\u2019ve seen a shift by consumers and designers alike from litho-oriented design and print structures to the digital environment and the demand for much faster turnaround times will only grow.<\/p>\n
\u2018Aside from the change in attitude toward digital, the natural flow from producing 10 or 20 little brochures digitally into a 10 000 litho print run is a constant thing; the ability to meet an important business rule, to put the object in your client\u2019s hand, is worth every cent spent.\u2019<\/p>\n
Along with the usual litho work, Templer also prints a monthly magazine (a job brought about by the ability to digitally produce fast colour proofs), with offers of more on the horizon.<\/p>\n
\u2018We\u2019re cautious of magazine work. Printing magazines can be lucrative – you only need to look at some of the bigger print concerns – but it\u2019s risky work for smaller print shops,\u2019 Michael says. \u2018An important part of this business\u2019s growth is that it has been self-funded.<\/p>\n
\u2018It can be easy to grow in the printing industry, particularly when it comes to printing magazines, but it\u2019s also easy to over-extend yourself and fall down. We\u2019ve been cautious, and not taken on work which is at our limit of capability or splashed out on unnecessary new equipment.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u2018We\u2019ve built a situation where we could lose our revenue for six months and still survive, which is not typical of the industry,\u2019 said Chris. \u2018Many printers live from hand to mouth and as a family-owned business it\u2019s important to us to provide not just a short-term answer but also to ensure long-term growth. A natural growth pattern is something we have actively sought. To us it\u2019s pointless riding that fine red line; we\u2019ve the time and patience to grow and use our partnerships with companies like Xerox to provide a strong platform, a backbone to our business. One of the best things we ever did was install a Xerox digital press.\u2019<\/p>\n
For additional information, contact Michael Temnpler by visiting: www.templerind.co.za.<\/p>\n
For more about Xerox in South and Southern Africa, just click on the Xerox banner or sponsor logo button on our Home Page. Xerox is represented throughout sub-Saharan Africa by Johnnesburg-based Bytes Document Solutions.<\/p>\n
\u00a9 Graphic Repro On-line, 20 April 2010.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The ability to produce high-grade work on a \u2018print-on-demand\u2019 basis is something that has added immense value to the Linden, Johannesburg, South Africa business\u2026 Templers turn corner print shop around with Xerox Five years ago Chris Templer sold his share of a radiator core manufacturing business before deciding, with his son Michael, to buy an ailing walk-in printing business in Linden, a suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. \u2018I had over 30 years of experience in the motor trade, but both Michael and I were disillusioned and wanted to move into something new,\u2019 said Chris. \u2018We immediately excluded food and the motor trade because of the extremely long hours typical of the industry. It\u2019s ironic now that we work from 7:00am to 6:30pm \u2013 bearing in mind that we drive from Springs to Linden and back every day.\u2019 Pictured: left to right Michael and Chris Templer with their Xerox 4110 digital press. The long hours were crucial to turning around the printing business. \u2018We knew nothing about printing when we bought the business,\u2019 said Chris. His career has included industrial diamond research for De Beers at the Diamond Research Laboratory, and he has a strong mechanical background. \u2018I\u2019ve found little real difference between industries; the difference is rather in how you apply your knowledge. The guts of the shop contained three A3 lithographic printers from Eastern Europe, one serviceable black-and-white copier, and another that had passed its sell-by date. We could see that the old printers that were here when we bought the business were a major part of the problem,\u2019 he said. \u2018The one black-and-white copier was shot. We threw it out and put in Xerox machines. Xerox is the best there is in the copying and printing industry and we knew we could trust the equipment, after all they invented the process in the first place,\u2019 said Chris. Xerox is also an expert in digital print and workflow technology. It has one of the most comprehensive and diverse range of solutions, including hardware, workflow, applications and services for the printing, graphic arts and enterprise customers. \u2018We knew the company offered us a one-stop shop, with hardware and software from one, integrated partner,\u2019 added Chris. \u2018Xerox has a sophisticated direct sales channel, a select network of partner firms and a wide range of indirect channel partners, critical to a business such as ours.\u2019 Relationships, he added, are essential for infant businesses and those looking to survive a recession. \u2018All of our clients bar one have been referred to us because we have maintained good relationships. We did that by ensuring that we met the three requirements in any business: quality, service and price,\u2019 he said. As in many trades, printers rely on the quality of their tools. \u2018Bigger, stronger and more powerful printers breed their own work provided you maintain the three legs of the equation and subsequently we don\u2019t hunt work; it comes to us. \u2018When we bought the Xerox 4110 press, we were delighted because it\u2019s a high-volume machine, but the technician who commissioned it called it the baby of digital production, so there\u2019s room for some more growth! We\u2019ve since racked up 5 million A3 clicks on it, so for us it\u2019s a monster. We also operate a DocuColor 252 colour digital press with a DC3535 on permanent standby to take up the slack when required. \u2018The new digital presses are extremely good. The changes in technology even over the last five years we\u2019ve been connected to the industry have been phenomenal \u2013 the machines are 100 per cent reliable and the quality of print is such that it has opened up new lines of business for us. We\u2019ve printed books, for example, 300 case-bound books in three days for a Nigerian cabinet minister, and 16,800 tickets on the 252 in less than two days for the Federation Cup of Nations hosted by South Africa.\u2019 The ability to produce high-grade work on a \u2018print-on-demand\u2019 basis is something that has added immense value to the business, in some instances providing a proofing and feeder platform for the lithographic aspect of the business. Xerox\u2019s unerring ability to provide the correct equipment at the right time and a strong quality-oriented business model has helped the business grow from virtually nothing into a fair-sized shop with good capabilities. Aside from the digital presses, Templer Industries also has its own Heidelberg A1 lithographic press which provides the medium- to long-run capacity. \u2018It was a big deal for when the press was installed, to us it\u2019s a monster, and the change from A3 to A1 has hugely impacted our capability and profitability \u2013 that said, the commissioning of the 4110 and subsequently the 252 was just as huge for us,\u2019 added Michael. \u2018The two processes complement one another well in our business \u2013 if we\u2019re jammed on the litho side, the digital can always take up the slack and small runs, normally difficult, are exactly right for the digital environment.\u2019 Capture new digital business Templer Industries has also used the combination of digital and lithographic equipment to develop customers. For example, a client, International Truss Systems, initially wanted only one invoice book, which was easily produced on the digital equipment, but the workload has since grown into a large and varied range of products such as promotional stands for the company\u2019s DIY products, regularly producing labels and packaging of a range of special nails and various other print media. \u2018The focus of our next growth stage,\u2019 said Michael, \u2018will be the expansion of our digital capability. We\u2019ve seen a shift by consumers and designers alike from litho-oriented design and print structures to the digital environment and the demand for much faster turnaround times will only grow. \u2018Aside from the change in attitude toward digital, the natural flow from producing 10 or 20 little brochures digitally into a 10 000 litho print run is a constant thing; the ability to meet an important business rule, to put the object in your client\u2019s hand, is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":150,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.templerind.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.templerind.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.templerind.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.templerind.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.templerind.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.templerind.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":149,"href":"https:\/\/www.templerind.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1\/revisions\/149"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.templerind.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/150"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.templerind.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.templerind.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.templerind.co.za\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}