Push Productions: Providing Opportunity Through Print

Early beginnings

Few organisations have undergone such a paradigm shift in its operational model and output as Push Productions. In fact, if you wind the clock back more than twenty years, you'd find the Sunshine Coast-based business primarily operating as a comic book company.

Considering itself more of an arthouse than a printery, the company evolved from working with government departments and private firms on various photo-journalism projects and narrative work. With fingers in so many pies, Push Productions was already an agile business, but it wanted a new focus.

Changing times, changing markets

12 years ago, changes within the industry, and a change of government prompted Push Productions to reevaluate its business strategy and place more emphasis on print work. With its parent company operating in the child-protection and human-services industry, Push Productions also wanted to help people in need by improving their employment prospects.

Starting with a little Epson printer, Push Productions began by printing posters. Prior to this their focus had been on outdoor signage and car wraps, so branching into posters became a new opportunity. It continued its diversification and entered the signage and car-wrap markets.

After establishing itself in these new markets, the next logical step for Push Productions was t-shirt printing. In doing so, it also wanted to ensure it remained an eco-friendly, or “clean” business. Its research into the screenprinting process, inks and solvents dissuaded Push Productions from embracing this method of garment decoration.

Push Productions also didn't want to invest in "old" technology. So its requirements thus became:

1. An eco-friendly solution with little to no wastage;
2. New technology in the marketplace; and
3. A solution that was economical and could sustain healthy profit margins.

Pushing forward with direct to garment

Push Productions began working with GJS on a direct-to-garment printing solution with a Brother GT-3 as the cornerstone. The single printer proved to be an immediate success and soon Push Productions began cross-selling signage and t-shirt solutions to both existing and new customers.

“A great example of the versatility of the machines happened just the other day when a customer walked through the doors and asked for three t-shirts to be printed on the spot,” said Paul Morton, Unit Manager, Push Productions.

“With the Brother GT-3, we were able to print the shirts on-demand and the customer returned the next week and ordered over $5,000 of signage from us! You simply couldn't turn a job like that around on the spot with traditional screenprinting equipment,” said Paul.

Doubling up on DTG to do more

As its expansion into digital garment decoration continued, Push Productions worked again with GJS to supply and install a second Brother garment printer. Operating in tandem, it can now run both machines at production speed and create hundreds of t-shirts a day for customers, or single one-offs.

“75 percent of the equipment in our print shop comes from GJS. We chose GJS because we had a very clear plan of where we wanted to go and what we wanted to achieve and GJS was a one-stop shop.

“What was most refreshing was that if GJS couldn't provide something for us, they went out of their way to find us a reputable partner in the industry who could. It's a great strategy! By connecting like-minded businesses with others that can help, GJS has really become a trusted advisor and business partner for Push Productions,” Paul added.

Who let the dogs out? Push Productions launches Urban Dog Tees

Its foray into digital garment decoration has been so successful that Push Productions established a dedicated t-shirt brand called Urban Dog Tees. The company now sells a variety of t-shirts from comic book designs, active wear, surf and vintage tees. All this while also continuing to print bespoke designs for customers, and all on two Brother garment printers from GJS.

Never wanting to stand still, Push Productions has recently invested in a Roland VersaUV LEF-20 to further expand its business into the promotional products market. This is in conjunction with a Roland SP-300i Printer/Cutter that now enables Push Productions to incorporate thermal textile vinyl into its garment decoration services.

Providing Opportunity through Print

Push Productions not only exemplifies how to succeed with multiple print solutions, but also couples a unique philosophy with an inspiring corporate social responsibility edict. It also provides work and opportunity to those on the Sunshine Coast who may not otherwise be able to find jobs.

“Some of the people we have working for us are second or third generation unemployed and can't remember a parent ever having a job,” Paul said.

“Research shows that being employed can provide a solution to many of the problems being encountered by those marginalised within our community. That's why we believe in giving a job to those not normally considered employable by the mainstream community,” Paul continued.

Push Productions and Urban Dog Tees not only works with the long-term unemployed, but also with people adjusting back into society after being released from prison, members of the community dealing with addiction and those suffering from mental illness.

“As a company, we have made a strong commitment to providing employment opportunities for young men and women who have not had the best start in life. Subsequently, we are dedicated and passionate about creating prospects for these people to ensure their life trajectory is not an automatic path to poverty or a cycle of dysfunction,” Paul concluded.

The Push Productions philosophy

With the help of GJS, Push Productions can deliver on its philosophy of an eco-friendly, profitable garment-decoration business. At the same time, it can provide an opportunity for less fortunate members of the community to gain new skills, find work and break the poverty cycle. All thanks to print!

Video

• Highlights
• Eco-friendly solutions
• Providing opportunities for the local community
• Brother GT-3 Garment Printer
• ViperOne pre-treatment adds speed to production
• Geo Knight DK7 and DK20 Heat Transfer Presses
• Roland VersaUV LEF-20
• Roland SP-300i
• subli-trans XPRES SG7100 Dye Sublimation Printer