The second generation of a dynasty founding on printing engineering, David Currie has been awarded Visual Media Association’s first Lifetime Achievement Award.

Founded in 1949 as Currie & Southward by his father, Bill Currie, what is now the Currie Group has been fundamental to Australia’s printing industry.

This year has also been pivotal, with its sale to Aldus Group, where David Currie has joined Rob Mesaros, Andrew Fitzpatrick, Mark Daws and Frank Floriano as a director.

There have been many more, not least with the business winning the HP Indigo agency at a critical point in the industry.

Until recently majority shareholder, David Currie is credited as “one of our great industry pioneers”, and with bringing Japanese innovation to Australia.

The presentation was made during this year’s National Print Awards.

‘David Currie's story is one of grit, instinct, loyalty and transformation, a story woven into the fabric of the Australian print and visual media industry,’ says the citation. ‘His impact on the industry itself cannot be overstated.

‘Across more than five decades, Currie has employed generations of Australians, transformed the technological capability of the local industry and built one of the nations most successful family-owned print businesses. But perhaps more importantly, he has done so with resilience, generosity and an unwavering commitment to people, technology and industry.’

Currie had joined his father in 1969, and by all accounts was not given an easy ride, moving from a private school education to sweeping floors and cleaning toilets. Then a progressive introduction into sales and increasingly important Japanese manufacturers, starting with a Shinohara offset press that had to be rebuilt to take an A2 sheet size. As he told Print21’s Patrick Howard in 2019, they were to sell more than 500 of the design in what were then boom times. It hasn’t continued, of course, and a move into consumables has helped sustain the business.

Receiving the award, he thanked “those people in his life who had made his remarkable career possible, including his wife of nearly 50 years and many members of Currie Group staff. He commended what he called the print industry survivors, who he said have created a wonderful environment.

“People who say there’s not going to be an image on paper anymore... look around, we’re still printing and still celebrating,” he said.

Pictured: David Currie (top) and (below) with Rob Mesaros, who became chief executive in 2021, against the background of the original building.