The Z-CARD was invented 20 years ago by George McDonald, a travel writer and consultant for British Airways. He wanted to create something that could pack a large amount of information into a pocket-sized marketing solution.
From those early days as a niche print production specialist, we’ve now expanded into a global group, working with big name brands and providing end-to-end creative solutions
In 1992 George McDonald was looking for partners to expand the Z-CARD franchise into Australia and Asia. His invention had proven to be a commercial success in Europe, with major companies such as British Airways coming on board as clients.
Rob Fraser was introduced to George by a mutual friend and, after a visit to the Runcorn factory in northern England, the two entered an agreement to establish a production facility and sales office in Sydney to supply the Australian market. A first-generation Z binder was purchased and placed in Merrit Madden Printing in Waterloo. A sales office was then established in Quay Street, Haymarket in Sydney.
The first sale was made in late 1992 to Kalamazoo, and sales growth was rapid. The NRMA came on board in 1993, followed by a number of major corporates, government departments and the Liberal Party.
Sales continued to grow and, based on the success of Australia, Rob was asked to expand the franchise into Asia. This resulted in new offices being opened in Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan. However, China was a far more daunting market, and wasn’t opened until the next decade.
While we specialise in helping businesses in Australia and New Zealand, the Z-CARD network is truly global. In Europe we have offices in London, Paris, Munich, Milan, Barcelona, Amsterdam and Stockholm.
We also have international offices across the USA, South Africa, India, China and Japan.
With 69 offices in 47 countries, we can offer you the best quality services and a speedy turnaround whether your campaign is local, national or international.
