There’s been some hush-hush work on Australia’s Gold Coast, but Alphabet Printing is finally ready to talk about the inkjet web press its installed at the start of this year.

The Helensvale-based division of Virid installed Australia’s first Screen Truepress Jet 520 together with Hunkeler unwind and finishing, and GMC PrintNet T software.

Operations director Marc Selby says corporate rebranding and a security-sensitive project meant it can be made public only now. “Prior to the renaming of the business, we had been performing data mining for 20 years,” he says. “It wasn’t even called data mining in the earlier days, we just saw it as a detail function of our direct marketing services to our clients. We became very proficient at it and have over half a million dollars invested in data mining systems, operated by very skilled technicians.”

The business has relocated to more spacious premises in a former film production building, and can now print, collate and insert up to 25 million mail pieces per month. Selby and his team are seeking more work in direct mail and related personalised fields, but there’s no mention of newspapers at the moment.

The company’s ability to ‘slice and dice’ data and convert it into highly-targeted promotions could endear it to publishers wanting a toe in the digital market.

The $2.5 million installation include two 128 metres/minute Truepress 520 engines running a 520 mm web width. Screen says it now has 11 inkjet press units running in Australia and New Zealand.

Pictured: Production manager Keith Moore and his son Leon new press