Focus Press has acquired PMP's Canberra business – and is running it with former Blue Star staff.

Focus managing director David Fuller told ProPrint that the deal, which was signed last month, included PMP's digital equipment and also its Fyshwick lease.

"We're acting as an agent for PMP in Canberra, but it's not a joint venture. Effectively, we've bought the Canberra business off PMP, and part of the existing business was feeding work into the major part of PMP and we'll continue with that."

Fuller said Focus' new ACT operations would also outsource some work to its state-of-the-art Wollongong factory.

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"Canberra is a good fit for us because of our leadership in the sustainability area. Government policy is going in that direction. I think it's a positive thing for the industry," he said.

The search is on for a new Canberra site, said Fuller. It will receive extra digital capacity and will also be given some sheetfed presses, which are currently being shipped to Australia and are expected to arrive in six weeks, he added.

All the PMP staff were made redundant. Fuller told ProPrint that Focus ACT had hired about 10 staff, most of them former Blue Staff employees who were laid off when Blue Star sold its Canberra business to Opus Group. Former Blue Star ACT general manager Ian O'Connor is running the Fyshwick site; the production manager, Vince Bush, is also an ex-Blue Star man.

Fuller said the available talent was part of the reason Focus bought into Canberra – and that more former Blue Star staff might be hired as part of the business' imminent expansion.

PMP declined to comment.

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