Webco sources premises for January launch into Australia

Manugraph DGM has confirmed that its DGM agent, New Zealand-based Webco is taking responsibility for both brands across Australia and New Zealand. International sales vice president Ron Ehrhardt says the company has enjoyed many years of success with Webco in the New Zealand market: “We’re looking forward to continued success in Australia as well,” he says. MAN Ferrostaal had continued to represent Manugraph in a number of regions after manroland ended its sales and service agreement with the Indian manufacturer, saying at DRUPA that “conflicts of interest would be addressed as they appear”. Webco's Brendon Whitley says he is currently negotiating for premises in Australia, with the intention of being fully-operational during January. Webco has been very successful with the US-built DGM presses in New Zealand and other parts of the Asia-Pacific region, while MAN Ferrostaal had taken the order of APN News & Media – which had user experience from group-related sites in India – for Manugraph Cityline presses for several of its Australian sites. At Australia’s Single Width Users Group in 2007, MAN Ferrostaal's John Ostler contrasted the high technology of the German manufacturer's 'applied innovations' with the low-tech approach to issues such as reel-handling he experienced in India while on a visit to Manugraph. Ehrhardt says Webco will be responsible for both the Manugraph India manufactured products – Cityline Express, Hiline Express, 430MAX and Frontline presses – and the Manugraph DGM USA manufactured 430, 430MAX, 440 and Advantage 2. “Brendon and Webco have a great deal of knowledge and experience selling, servicing and rebuilding our DGM presses, and presses manufactured by Goss,” he says. “In addition, he and his staff are well trained in all sales and service aspects of the complete Manugraph line of presses.”