5 May 2010

Opus Digital eyes listing as it expands

5:45 am on 5 May 2010

The Australasian specialist print group Opus may be considering a share float as it builds its presence in New Zealand.

The private company, which is mostly owned by New Zealanders, already operates the outdoor advertising printing firms Omnigraphics and Cactus in New Zealand, with revenue of more than $100 million a year and 350 staff on both sides of the Tasman.

It opened Ligare, a new books-on-demand digital printing facility in Mt Eden, Auckland, on Tuesday.

Chief executive Cliff Brigstocke says Ligare will specialise in short-run, time-sensitive printing for educational and technical book publishers.

Mr Brigstocke says most of Opus's rivals use more conventional printing methods, and there are already plans to expand Ligare within the next six months.

He says Opus is looking at options to expand its capital base.