130 years of experience

1877

William Craig, born in Ireland, arrived in Invercargill in 1867. He purchased and ran The Southland News for the next 10 years. William then established a printing company in Tay Street which still proudly bears his name. The original premises consisted of a single-storey wooden building with a small factory behind.

In December 1903 William Craig died and his son, Samuel, took over the business. He sold it in 1920 to Messrs Dennison, Hind and Wilson, who incorporated the present company, Craig Printing Company Limited. Since then the staff has grown from 12 to over 50 and many changes have been made in printing technology.

1907

In 1923 a new building was constructed next door to the original premises and Craigs moved into the shop area. When the rear building was finished in 1925 the printing factory moved over. That same year Craigs took delivery of the first Heidelberg letterpress printing machine sold in New Zealand. In 1936 Southland’s first photoengraving department was formed.

1977

In 1975 McKenzie Print merged with Craigs and to adequately house the combined companies, an adjoining building was purchased. Another merger followed two years later when Craigs took over the Times Printing Service.

In 1992 Craigs joined the Office Products Depot group with the retail division becoming known as Craigs Office Products Depot.

2007

Atlas Printing Company Limited was purchased in 2001 by Craigs. This merger initiated the transfer of the print division from Tay Street, where the factory had been housed for 125 years, to bright new premises in Yarrow Street, followed two years later by Craigs Office Products Depot.

Craigs have recently opened an office products retail shop in Queenstown and installed computer-to-plate technology in the Invercargill printing factory. With the on-going upgrade of state-of-the-art equipment, and the experience of its skilled staff, Craigs is one of the leading printers in the South Island.

2009

The year of the recession. Craigs Design & Print returns to being a privately owned company purchased by the Wills family.