Currie Group Hosts Olaf Gerber from baumannperfecta
- matttangey
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Following the recent announcement of Currie Group’s new partnership with German finishing equipment specialists, baumannperfecta, the company has played host to baumannperfecta’s Export Sales Manager, Olaf Gerber on his first visit Down Under.
Gerber, who has worked with baumannperfecta since 2021, was in the country to learn more about the requirements of the Australian market and to meet the Currie Group team, following the company’s first sale in Australia under the new agreement.
His experiences during the visit, he says, have confirmed in his mind that Australian print service providers are the equal of any in the world, and face many of the same challenges as their counterparts in Europe and other markets.
“It was exciting to visit customers, to learn more about their businesses and the challenges they face, and also speak with them about what is possible with new technologies from baumannperfecta,” Gerber says.
“A shortage of skilled staff is certainly a key issue for Australian businesses, as it is for print service providers around the world, and this is something we can really help address, with cutting systems which businesses can rely upon to grow output and improve productivity, even in the face of staff shortages.”
As well as its high-speed, customised cutting machines, baumannperfecta offer a wide range of system solutions, including pile hoists, loaders, automated joggers and jogging systems, pressing and cutting equipment including three-knife trimmers, and buffering and unloading solutions.
“These can be configured into total cutting solutions, to ensure that our customers are well-equipped to grow and prosper,” Gerber says.
“You know, it is quite difficult these days to find people at all, and if you are asking them to do a very physically demanding job of moving heavy paper for eight hours a day, that makes it even harder. This is not even to mention the risk to businesses if workers are injured – lost productivity and of course workers compensation claims.
“To make the best use of the people you have is not usually to have them doing something which a machine can do. Automation eliminates some of the hard, physical work which used to be part of the cutting and finishing process, protecting existing staff from injury and maximising their productivity, while also making these jobs more attractive to new talent.”
With the cost of wages, energy and other inputs going up relentlessly, the pressure on margins has also never been greater. As print service providers cannot necessarily recoup increasing costs by raising prices, it’s important to find efficiencies and cost savings wherever possible.
Alan Tam, Currie Group’s Category Manager for Post-Press Equipment, says this is also where new-generation cutters and automated materials handling can deliver real value to the bottom line.
“For larger, high-volume environments this may mean investing in baumannperfecta’s fully-automated finishing systems, but there is something in the range for operations of all sizes,” Tam says.
“Importantly, all baumannperfecta systems can be upgraded, extended and further customised to meet the needs of a business as it grows and changes, and this is definitely something which we have found to be a real positive with businesses here in Australia, who appreciate that flexibility.”
Another important factor is baumannperfecta’s compliance with Industry 4.0 architecture, which means entire cutting workflows – including equipment from any compliant manufacturer – can be seamlessly integrated into a digital finishing ecosystem.
“The trend is definitely towards more digital printing, so our systems are developed to take pre-press data direct from the digital job bag or even via a barcode, to automatically generate the cutting program,” Gerber explains.
“The various cutting parameters are calculated by the machine, and the whole process is stepped out on the visual display, so it is easy to follow and reliable. This makes everything easier, leads to fewer errors and greater precision, and of course, makes for faster setup and job changeover times. Again, it’s about increasing efficiency and profitability.”
While Perth was not on the itinerary this trip, Gerber was pleased to be visiting Australian shores just as Currie Group installed their first baumannperfecta sale – a BP 80 model cutter at iPrint Plus in Perth.
“This is a compact and versatile 80cm machine, which impressed the customer with its ease of use and reliability, and more importantly, the safety of baumannperfecta’s blade changing system,” Tam reports.
“The fact that the machine also comes standard with a spare parts kit to keep on-site, and is supported by Currie Group’s extensive service network, were also important factors in the investment decision.”
While his company is definitely future-focused, Gerber is also aware of the longevity of cutting equipment, saying this trip has included visits to businesses who have baumannperfecta cutters which are 10, 15 or even 20 years old.
“Even though we are well known in the printing industry in Australia now for many years as a strong manufacturer with renowned German engineering excellence, our partnership with Currie Group marks a new start with a fresh approach and increased strength,” he says.
“Their approach of being a reliable business partner, not focusing on the quick sale but on finding the right solution for each particular customer, is exactly how we like to do business. Their commitment to service is also very important, and we’re pleased to complement that with remote diagnostics and technical support from baumannperfecta in Germany - ensuring customers have the support they need at all times.
“We work with dealers worldwide and, for us, it’s very clear that we can only be strong in a market if we have a very strong local partner. We were lucky to find that in Currie Group, who not only sell a portfolio of quality products, but have an unrivalled reputation for service and support. We are definitely excited to be working together,” Gerber concludes.
Tam said the visit had been an important step in the ongoing partnership, with more visits planned as part of the close collaboration between the two companies.
“We are grateful to Olaf for making the journey to Australia to connect with our team and customers,” he said.
“It’s been a valuable opportunity to strengthen our partnership and showcase the possibilities baumannperfecta and Currie Group can offer print service providers. We look forward to welcoming him back again soon, to visit more customers across Australia and New Zealand.”
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