About Us

Company History

The Colourbox was founded in 1995 by Peter Dawson who saw an emerging technology in digital printing.  Peter believed there was going to be an ongoing need for a specialist and innovative large format printing bureau that would consistently be bringing emerging and niche technologies to the Advertising Agency, Exhibition Graphics, and Retail Point-of-Sale industries.

Examples of our early adoption include:

^{Lenticular Printing - Introduced 1998}

Colourbox is one of only a handful of companies in New Zealand who you can turn to for lenticular printing.  Whether its a lenticular postcard run of 5000, a one-off lenticular billboard or anything in between we have the complete understanding and ability to produce this sensational advertising medium.  If it is a large format lenticular and a short run these will be produced totally in-house using inkjet printers.  If it is a small format lenticular and a sizeable run we will prepare the files and have the printing produced in China.  With the China option and the introduction of flat-bed printing there are significant cost savings over past methods of producing lenticulars.  No longer does lenticular printing need to be an unaffordable promotion option.

^{Solvent Printing - Introduced 2003}

Colourbox was one of the first of the New Zealand printing bureaus to purchase equipment capable of high-res solvent printing.  Solvent printing had traditionally been the domain of Grand Format Billboard Printers and not a viable quality option for close-up viewing, but with the introduction of the Seiko solvent printer Colourbox is able to offer 720x720dpi printing onto self adhesive and banner vinyls suitable for the signage industry.

^{Dye-Sublimation Printing - Introduced 2007}

Colourbox again is one of only a handful of companies in Auckland you can turn to for dye-sublimation printing.  Our fashion clients and exhibition clients have found a real need for a large format printing bureau that can successfully utilise the benefits of transferring graphic images onto fabric.  Whilst not a new technology the challenges of colour matching with dye-sublimation techniques for discerning clients made it an ideal fit as one of Colourbox's niche services.

^{Finesse Frames - Introduced 2007}

After 12 years of supplying the exhibition and retail industries with displays and window posters and instore mounted graphics Colourbox has introduced to New Zealand a new display solution.   The Finesse Frame achieves an easily replaceable fabric graphic with a classy look ideally suited to exhibition and retail displays. No longer do you have to put up with curling edges on your window, instore or exhibition displays.

^{3D Printing - Introduced 2006}

Of all the innovations Colourbox has introduced over the years to the industry our 3D Modelling and Rapid Prototyping service would be the one that leaps us out beyond what people would have thought possible.  Using  a machine featured in "Beyond Tomorrow" Colourbox can produce a solid object built overnight from a CAD file.  The applications for such a service are proving to be wide and varied.  More obvious ones are 3D printed architectural models for both architects and developers, packaging prototypes for plastics companies, prototypes for new product designers and patterns for foundry castings.  It goes so much further though that Peter Dawson has partnered with Martin Brewer and Richard Keesing to set up New Zealand's first Rapid Modeling and Prototyping Bureau utilising the colour 3D Printing technology.  For a lot more detail on this go to www.3dprint.co.nz

            Colourbox and 3D Print Team

Back left to right
Martin Brewer
Rick Keesing
Tracey Wilson



Front left to right
Anna de Fluiter
Amy Howell
Peter Dawson