The Complete onshore print experience

Melbourne-based print and communication specialists Complete Colour  is a 29-year-old business built on strong foundations.

Managing Director Tim Michaelides started the business in June 1992 servicing clients by day and operating the presses at night. The business grew as a result of excellent customer service, hard work and the want to meet and exceed clients’ expectations.  The pillars were set and the foundation built to what we know as Complete today.

Since January 2021, 100 per cent of the energy Complete consumes will come from renewable sources. Across the business, Complete works with zero compromise on quality and environmental accountability. This means Complete is able to achieve the greatest outcomes with the lightest footprints.

Complete Colour is an LFRA Associate Member and printers of the Large Format Retail Directory for the last two editions.

“Our team loves the Large Format Retail Directory project from the very beginning,” said Mr Michaelides.

“From colour matching and stock selection, to hand delivering the final directory, we’re very proud to work on such an essential publication.”

“With the 10 Year Edition (2018/19), we presented an alternative cover to enhance the durability of the Directory, moving across to a hardbound cover and adding some embellishment.

“We always look to improve our client products, offering service, quality and value.”

Complete Colour understands the demands on each business in the LFRA. With a personalised approach, they are agile enough to deliver across digital and offset print – including variable data – and the logistics and storage solutions that come with projects.

During the 2020 crisis moments, Complete worked with Beacon Lighting to regularly deliver POS merchandise materials directly to 113 (now 117) Beacon Lighting stores across Australia to combat delays caused by resource shortages or compromised efficiencies. This arrangement has continued into 2021, despite freight service improvements.

“Our door is always open,” said Director and Head of Sales and Marketing, Geoff Lawyer, who – like Tim – prides himself on always being accessible to staff, partners, and clients.

“We understand the Large Format Retail sector and all the logistics involved. We’ve worked closely with Beacon Lighting, Plush, Provincial Home Living, and others, so we know how to deliver on a tight, hard deadline. We also understand how the sector has changed over the last year, and we want to continue to support in every way we can.”

Compete Colour was an early adopter in the digital print space, moving across with its first digital press from Fuji-Xerox Machine in 2006. Through every evolution and transition however, the business has held fast to its purpose and focus on service, quality and value.

In October 2020, the business passed another audit with flying colours – in ISO 9001 (Quality) and ISO 14001 (Environment). Certified since 2007, the company has now moved to a top of the class model with the new Xerox iGen 5 Digital Printing Press and Colour re-Certification in January 2020.

Powerful digital equipment provides Complete with the ability to deliver higher-volume customised digital print runs to customers, which enables more economic pricing. It also presents greater security in assurity of supply.

Complete prints 45,000 menus for Fresh Food Service Melbourne (Recipe & Meal Box Delivery) every week. The whole project is completed within a 24-hour window; from receiving the file (with 30 variants) to delivering the menus.

It is a big job, but a consistent process has enabled the team to transition through change over the last 29 years so that they are ready to continue exceeding client expectations.

“One of the biggest outcomes of last year for Complete was the en-masse return of print to Australia,” says Mr Lawyer.

“Due to our short production and shipping timelines – and pride in service, quality and value – we’re printing a lot of jobs that businesses previously sent offshore.

We build in time and value at every stage of the process.

“We build in value by using environmentally-responsible, quality material to ensure that the product is something everyone can celebrate and rely on.

For us, trust is everything – from every employee, supplier, and contributor, to every member of a client’s workforce,” concluded Mr Lawyer.