Large format technology manufacturer Durst has acquired its former Australian distributor Photo Electric Services (PES), following the tragic passing of founder Paul Taylor last December, and officially launched a new Durst Oceania operation in Melbourne, with former PES sales manager Matt Ashman named as managing director.
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| Durst Oceania MD Matt Ashman - acquisition of PES enabled local opco establishment |
“This new branch marks another watershed moment in the proud history of family-owned Durst, which opened its new global headquarters in Brixen, Italy, earlier this year, as it continues to cement its transformation into a highly integrated process service provider,” says a Durst press release.
Durst Oceania will cover Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania and other outreach markets in the Pacific Ocean. Its headquarters will be close to Melbourne’s international airport in Tullamarine.
PES (Photo-Electronic Services) founder Paul Taylor's death at age 65 last December left the iconic company without its leader. Durst says: “The official launch follows the successful conclusion of negotiations to acquire the business interests of Durst distributor Photo Electronic Services – known as PES – based in the north-east of the Australian city."
“Durst Oceania managing director is long-serving employee Matt Ashman who hails from the UK but has taken up Australian residency. He has been associated with Durst for more than 25 years, first as a customer and then within Durst UK and Ireland’s sales and marketing operation until relocating from England in 2015.”
Ashman says he’s delighted to be “at the helm of a new era of what I am sure will be sustained growth for Durst in the region. The market potential is huge. Durst Oceania is a strong economic region with a young entrepreneurial vibe. Its diverse population represents many different cultures from around the world. Customers in the region have really embraced our innovative technology – particularly the new P5 platform shown at Printex for the first time in August – and software solutions such as Durst Workflow, Dust Analytics and Durst Smart Shop.”
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PES founder and longtime Durst agent, the
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Durst Group CEO and joint owner Christoph Gamper says: “We are extremely grateful to the work dedication of PES, and would like to put on record our sincere thanks for their support and cooperation as a long-standing Durst distributor. But now we move forward and welcome Durst Oceania to our growing family. Matt and his team epitomise our new business philosophy: a passion for technologies and markets, with innovation as the driver, and provides active collaboration and participation in every area.
"Durst Oceania is an important strategic step as we continue to shape the future and grow our business. Driven by the mantra of innovation, Durst offers complete solutions from pixel to output.”
Durst, a global leader in high-performance printing systems for wide format, labels and textiles markets, employs more than 700 people across the world.
At FESPA this year it launched new P5 printing systems with integrated modular software solutions, analytics software and optional expansion with prepress and webshop solutions under the motto "Pixel to Output". The P5 platform comprises the P5 250 HS launched in 2018, new family members the 350/210 hybrid solutions equipped with LED technology, and the P5 250HS and P5 200 HS featuring MEMS printhead technology.
