Our Story

Printing is a highly technical industry, full of skilled people who have experienced enormous change over the past few decades with the introduction of digital platforms.

Among New Zealand printers, Centurion is exceptional. Our ‘people make good print’ philosophy has allowed us to adapt to these changes, while retaining vital knowledge, traditional print craft skills, and a personal approach to service.

History

Centurion Print commenced trading in 1986. Originally set up in central Auckland (in Hobson Street where the casino is today) to service SMEs for their transactional and stationery print requirements.

The business flourished despite the 1987 share market crash and we outgrew two premises. By 1992 we had moved out of the city centre to Eden Terrace and Pat had bought his original partner out.

The business continued to grow and in 1996 we installed our first multi-colour press – a second hand A3 4 colour machine, found in England, put in a box and shipped over to New Zealand. At this time Pat realised he needed help and called on former colleague, Dave Young to re-join the company to run production.

With Dave’s input the pace quickly ramped up and we soon outgrew that factory and moved to Collins Street, Morningside. More equipment followed and the year 2000 saw the first brand new Komori Press installed. These were exiting times for the team as we all new that the shareholders had begged and borrowed over 2 million dollars for this step.

It worked! And pretty soon we had more machines coming and took over the factory next door to do all our own print finishing. By now the team had grown to 30 dedicated print professionals. 2004 saw Centurion relocate offices and press room again, this time just around the corner to 11 MacDonald Street, where we are today. This gave us 3600m2 of space that we could configure just how we wanted.

In 2006 we installed two brand new Komori six colour presses with coaters – a B1 and a B2. Around this time we were running five offset presses 24hrs a day, six days a week and we still subcontracted all our digital print requirements. Centurion was pumping! Then came the GFC and the world of digital print really started to come of age. Our clients’ needs were changing and we had to move with the times. We downsized offset and installed our first Indigo Digital Press.

Today Digital Print accounts for 35% of our revenue. The Digital Department is like a small print shop within a larger operation. The whole approach to Digital Print requires a different mindset to offset. Whilst both are technically challenging and quality driven, it is all about speed to market. With these changes came more people and the numbers swelled to 50 staff.

Navigating the GFC had been difficult but our biggest challenge came in 2011. Centurion had a fire in the factory, destroying our largest printing press and only the quick actions of our night shift team prevented total disaster. For nine months we had to manage larger jobs being outsourced and still deliver the service and quality that our name was built on.

We got through and in April 2012 we unveiled our new G series Komori H-UV, the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Thanks to a good insurance package and a lot of hard work we were back with leading edge technology that our clients loved. The following eight years were prosperous.

The print environment continues to change with the emphasis today heavily weighted to ‘just in-time’ shorter production runs. The team grew to 65 print professionals to handle this demanding environment.

In March 2020 the world changed. Covid-19 forced lock downs and changed the way we all interacted for the foreseeable future. Many of our clients were hit very hard. Fortunately Centurion has a broad client base across many industry types enabling us to navigate these trying times. However survival has come at a cost, with a restructuring and a downturn in demand. We were forced to reduce our team to 50 and some very difficult decisions had to be made.

Today we are back up to around 70% of where we were prior to Covid-19 hitting, and continuing to rebuild.

Community Involvement

Long standing sponsorships include The Halberg Trust, Kidney Foundation, Cure Kids, various school sports teams and we have supported The New Zealander of the Year Awards since this was launched. The concept of personal and community endeavour sits well with Centurions’ values.

Awards

We always aim to deliver excellent printing results for our customers. And we are happy to help them succeed. Over the years, we’ve managed to score some awards together, including Best Design Awards, The Magazine Awards, Pride in Print Awards and Fedrigoni ‘TOP’ Awards. Here’s to great teamwork!

Centurion Print have been a reliable source of promotional goods many years. Their quoting and dispatch are fast and accurate and their communication is fantastic. Centurion provide good advice and suggestions and really make things happen. I highly recommend Centurion to other businesses.

Amanda Horne, Account Manager – Programmed Property

Centurion Print are fantastic to work with. Their team consistently provides us with a high quality product and their customer service and responsiveness is excellent.

Gareth van der Heyden, CEO – Better Eggs

Ascot Radiology have been working with Andrew and the Centurion team for several years and we’re always happy with the friendly and efficient service they provide. Nothing is a problem and they go the extra mile to ensure every job runs smoothly.

Jane Westaway, Ascot Radiology

Centurion Print consistently work to an excellent standard. They always deliver on time or earlier. They ask the right questions and suggest production efficiencies when quoting. And they are true to their quotes. As a creative person, I value working with people who embrace and facilitate the production of unconventional ideas.

Julia Vale, TeUru Gallery

I have been using Centurion Print for nearly 4 years now. They are great to deal with and offer very quick turn-arounds for printing all our collateral. I would highly recommend them to other businesses.

Julie McWatt, Club Owner – ALLFIT

Centurion are amazing to work with! I really can’t fault their seamless service, sharp eye for detail and excellent communication. They add value to every project.

Kelda Hunter, Brand Manager – Blis Technologies Ltd

Thank you for the amazing support over the years John. Centurion Print have been providing an outstanding level of service to Felton Industries for over 25 years. They ensure brand consistency and take immense pride in their work, which is always done right, first time.

Kimberly Gan, Marketing Manager – Felton Industries

We spent years looking for the perfect local supplier for our packaging and print projects. Centurion Print slotted into that role easily and have worked with us seamlessly ever since, delivering excellent print work and project management. They always go above and beyond to deliver the goods.

Mat Bogust, Cardboard Engineer – Think Packaging®

Centurion always go above and beyond! Their team deliver a premium product with fantastic service and open and clear communication. Their advice from start to finish makes the process very easy. I highly recommend!

Rebekah Hindt, Marketing Coordinator – Pirtek New Zealand Ltd

During a 13 year relationsip of honesty, reliability, commitment and meeting tight deadlines, we’ve created world-class printed collateral working with Centurion Print. They are definitely leaders in this realm and I have no hesitation recommending Centurion Print to new clients.

Tagi Cole, Desktop Graphics Ltd

Centurion have been our print supplier for 15 years because they’re great at what they do – everything from small digital runs to large, complex books and cardboard cartons. They solve problems and are active participants in the process – not just order takers. I would happily recommend them to anyone.

Terry Barrington, Director – Savante Advertising

South have partnered with Centurion for over a decade. Kelly has helped us to produce award-winning printed material for a number of clients. Her attention to detail and knowledge of print craft, finishes and materials is second to none. Centurion are our go-to print partner – their unrivalled professionalism helps us to deliver benchmark quality print.

Tom Pekkala, Project Director – Studio South

Centurion are more than just a print company – they offer a full and reactive service providing us with high quality and quick turnaround printing. Our relationship with Centurion is one we value and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them as a trusted and skilled company.

Bronwyn MacPherson, Events & Special Projects Manager – First National