Firm presses on with trade

By Dion Teasdale
Established in 1973, the business has been owned and operated by the Jones family since 1987.
Manager Derek Jones, who runs the printing business with wife Merinda, said the company specialises in the design and production of a wide range of printed material.
“We can take care of all general printing needs from business cards, to brochures, to books and we work closely local screen printers and signwriters,” he said.
“Our expertise is working with customers and helping them to get their ideas into print, from conception through to completion.”
Derek said Breen Printing deals with all kinds of print projects from basic stationery for small businesses just starting up, through to full colour promotional material for large corporate organisations.
“All our design work is computer based and most of the pre-press, printing and trimming work is done right here on site,” he said.
“We have an extensive range of high quality paper stock to choose from, we do digital colour prints and high volume black and white photocopying, and we also do product photography.”
Derek, who has worked at Breen Printing since the early 1980s, said he has seen a lot of changes in the printing industry over the past 20 years.
“Most of the changes have been in what customers want and in what we are able to offer them,” he said.
“People have moved away from wanting simple black and white stationery to wanting stationery with impressive, attention grabbing logos and designs with special effects.”
Breen Printing’s design department is headed up by his daughter Kirsty, a finalist in the World Skills Competition and runner-up in the Apprentice of the Year in 2004.
“I grew up with the printing business and it was a logical step for me to continue working here after I did my apprenticeship,” she said.
“There are a lot of advantages to working in a family business. It gives me the opportunity to be the best at what I do.”
Derek said Breen Printing, which employs seven full-time staff members, deals with a wide range of clients including tourism operators, local businesses, schools and clubs and local and state government.
“We are more than happy to answer people’s inquiries about printing related matters,” he said.
“Sometimes we work with clients to refine or fine tune the ideas they have for print projects but we are equally as happy working with people from scratch.”