“(Prinect Production Manager) gives us a lean workflow, consistent quality, and full transparency—making it easier to spot bottlenecks and improve further.”
— Rod Dawson, Managing Director, Southern Impact
Based in Melbourne, Australia, Southern Impact has been operating under its current ownership since 2002, with roots going back to the 1980s under the name Southern Colour. In 2019, the company consolidated operations from four separate sites into a single, modern facility in Melbourne.
With around 120 full-time employees, Southern Impact serves the Australian domestic market with a broad range of services. While commercial offset printing still accounts for about 65% of total turnover, the company has expanded into digital printing, large-format work, software development, and 3PL warehousing. Its customer base spans from direct corporate clients and publishers to agencies and print brokers.
“We started as an offset print provider, and while offset remains our core, we've diversified to meet the needs of a broader market. We want to offer our clients a complete service—always focused on delivering quality,” says Managing Director Rod Dawson.
As the printing industry faces mounting pressure—from shorter print runs and faster delivery expectations to rising costs and talent shortages—Southern Impact remains focused on improving efficiency at every level.
“There’s been a plateau in commercial print demand, while areas like packaging, labels and retail POS continue to grow. Customers want fast turnarounds, highly competitive pricing, and increasingly, a one-stop shop that integrates products, services, and B2B systems,” explains Dawson.
To meet these demands, Southern Impact must continually identify workflow bottlenecks and unlock new efficiencies across the business. That’s where Prinect Production Manager comes in.
“We’ve invested in the latest technology across prepress, press, and postpress. The integration between our HEIDELBERG equipment and Prinect Production Manager is absolutely critical,” says Dawson. “It gives us a lean production workflow, consistent quality, repeatable results, and full transparency across all departments. That visibility allows us to identify bottlenecks and spot opportunities to improve.”
Alongside Production Manager, the company uses Prinect Business Manager as its integrated MIS/CRM. This setup gathers live data from the shop floor, enabling close performance monitoring and fast, data-based decision-making.
Prinect helps Southern Impact centralize and standardize its workflow, applying tight controls to processes and color management. This reduces errors, ensures consistency, and increases throughput. Thanks to this level of automation and integration, the company is able to produce high volumes with a lean team, supporting its efficiency-driven approach.
“We’re excited about the future of the graphic arts industry. We've just installed a new Speedmaster XL 106-10P, offering the latest in print automation and sustainability,” says Dawson.
“We believe staying at the forefront of technology is essential for long-term success. Working in close partnership with our suppliers like HEIDELBERG has always been a key part of our strategy.”
“Our business is built on quality, strong relationships, and adding real value. That commitment continues in everything we do, for our staff, our customers, and our partners.”