“From the time I bought the business I wanted to go green”, says Brenda. “I changed the name to Maleny Green Printery because I started using recycled paper and 100% vegetable oil inks for my offset work. I use environmentally- friendly chemicals as much as I can, because it’s a really dirty business and the chemicals are quite harsh. So we try and limit that impact.
“The digital press is totally environmental”, Brenda adds. “There’s no ozone, there’s no volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and there’s no chemicals.”
But does being green mean the customers pays more for their printing.
“No. I try to keep the costs down”, says Brenda. “I eat some of the margin to use the greener paper. “
Since taking over the business located in Coral Street, Brenda has updated most of the finishing equipment as well as buying the digital press. She has a new collator, stapler, and trimmer for booklets, and a perfect binder which makes paperback books. The floor-to-ceiling wall racks display the very wide range of publications, 90 per cent of them produced on the premises – business cards to brochures, stationery to books. Some jobs Brenda will outsource and not do on the premises.
“Large posters for example, and refrigerator magnets can be done better elsewhere. You literally have to cut them one at a time because quite naturally they stick together (she laughs).”
Before turning to printing Brenda had an executive position in sales and marketing with Hewlett Packard.
“Marketing just fascinates me”, she says. “What hooks the customer and what doesn’t.”
And, given her previous business life Brenda is comfortable with technology. Aware that it changes every five years, Brenda calls herself an “early adopter” – a quick customer for new technology and products. She is applying for a national certification as a green printer for ethical reasons through the Printing Industries Association of Australia. It’s also because within a couple of years all government printing contracts will require it.
“I have to make a couple of physical changes to the place. I had to buy a spill kit for example. But I am well within the range for most of the requirements.
“Certification does bring out particular graphic designers who are looking for green printers, so I am looking forward to that.”
Clients are approaching Brenda from interstate because they are looking to use recycled paper, and she has printed jobs for clients down south cheaper than printers they’ve known around the corner.
“One of the things I like about this business is that you create what you want and I like printing a variety of things. I will print 100 books and then we’ll do some business cards and brochures. I have spoilt the community though”, says Brenda with bright laughter. “ They ring and say, ‘Oh there’s no hurry. This afternoon will be OK”. www.malenyprint.com
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