In 1969 when plan printers were scarce in Australia,
Cairns Plan Printing Services was purchased by Phil Matthew from
Mrs. Mary Callow. Since we are currently unable to determine when Mrs.
Callow originally opened the business, we date the inception of CPPS
from 1969 - so that still makes us the longest-established copying and
plan printing company in Far North Queensland.
The one-operator shop was squeezed into a tiny
three-by-two metre office on the second floor of the T&G Building in
Abbott Street. When two customers arrived at the same time, one had to
wait in the hallway!
The business moved into the office of Keith Hollands
Shipping Co, formerly the Adelaide Steamship Company Building. The print
shop was equipped with an OCE dyeline printer and a Blueray 842 ammonia
printer for reducing plan prints. The Blueray exuded excess ammonia
fumes and at the end of a day’s printing, the air could be cut with a
knife.
Cairns Typing and Duplication Services was purchased
in 1971, and the expanded business moved again to the Starr Bowkett
building in Lake Street. An increased demand for plan printing by
developers and builders led to a further relocation to Sheridan Street.
More staff were added to keep up with the workload.
Business boomed and soon the company occupied the
entire building, and with the addition of a (since sold) stationery
business, in 1984 the company moved once more – this time to the current
location at 59 McLeod Street.
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Alf Newberry joined in 1988 as a partner, bringing technical
expertise and allowing the business to start colour plotting and
computerised graphics. The business now has the capability of
producing short-run jobs that previously would have required the
services of an offset printer or a signwriter. In early 2001,
Alf completed the purchase of the company from Phil, who has now
retired but still drops in to see us every couple of weeks.
This company has grown with Cairns over the years. We
are a local company, totally owned by Cairns residents. One of
our customers said recently "You’ve got all the latest gear, and
an old-fashioned North Queensland attitude. It’s great!"
What
more could you ask for?
We offer a free pickup and delivery service, and a design
consultation service. Want a brochure or a flyer, but don’t know
how to get started? Ask us, we can help you! Not sure what can
be done to preserve the ancient photos of Aunt Maude? We can do
it for you! |
