Issued by: Paarl Media

Doug Heger has been appointed Paarl Media Holdings' Business Development Manager for KwaZulu-Natal.

Reporting directly to Paarl Media's Chief Executive Officer Stephen van der Walt, Heger will use his extensive contacts and experience to assist Paarl Media with its planned expansion into this province.

Heger commented on his appointment: "During the three years that Paarl Media Holdings was in negotiations to acquire Formeset's web offset business, including PrintAbility, I became familiar with their management team. The proposed acquisition unfortunately failed at the time, but I remained in contact with Paarl Media and have a deep respect for this company and its values.

"During my career I have cultured a reputation for building and developing businesses. I am very pleased to have been given this opportunity, only a few years away from my retirement, with Paarl Media in KwaZulu-Natal. I share my set of beliefs and philosophy with the Paarl Media Group, namely that one builds a business on customer service, customer satisfaction and an excellent quality product. I also believe there is huge potential in this province to increase Paarl Media's footprint. Having the opportunity of starting a business one more time during my career is fantastic!" Heger concludes.

Heger has a career spanning 45 years, including working for Carnation Foods as Marketing Director, Twins Pharmaceutical as General Manager and owning 3-D Marketing. During his career, he has completed various local and international sales, marketing and management courses.

He joined National Brands in 1984, where he was nicknamed the 'Biscuit Man', working as Sales Director of Bakers Limited. During his time here, profits improved at an average of 30% per annum. He was then asked to move to the Pakco, Cerebos Foods and Cerebos Salt divisions as Managing Director, tasked to improve these businesses, which he managed to turn profitable. When National Brands moved its head office to Sandton, Heger decided to take a voluntary package in order to remain in KwaZulu-Natal.

He then invested in a repro house, starting Pre-Press Solutions C.C. in 1996, but soon realised the need to progress to print. In 2001, Heger jointly conceived PrintAbility with the other founder members. He was appointed Managing Director of PrintAbility (Pty) Ltd and in 2004, when PrintAbility was acquired by the Formeset Group, Heger remained Managing Director. He became CEO when earlier in 2007, PrintAbility was liquidated and the assets and staff transferred to Wellvest 2 (Pty) Ltd, trading as NuPrint-Ability.

Stephen van der Walt commented on Heger's appointment: "Following a failed due diligence towards the end of 2006 during the process of acquiring the web offset businesses of Formeset, of which PrintAbility in KwaZulu-Natal was the biggest player, the Paarl Media Group was fortunate to maintain a positive relationship with Doug.

"Paarl Media is in an aggressive growth phase. Earlier in the year, we announced the opening of our news sales offices in Port Elizabeth and Durban. Doug's appointment comes at a time when we are considering an increased involvement in the KwaZulu-Natal region, above and beyond our existing sales office in Hillcrest. Key Paarl Media management members got to know Doug intimately during our negotiations with Formeset and he was a natural choice, with his knowledge of the industry and the market in KwaZulu-Natal, to spearhead our growth in the province. We welcome Doug into the Paarl Media family."

Heger is married to Lesley and they have a daughter, three sons and four grandchildren. He has a golf handicap of 10 and enjoys watching cricket and soccer. He is also a rugby fanatic and admits to facing stiff competition as he is becoming the only Sharks rugby supporter within the Paarl Media ranks when he steps aboard on 1 September 2007.

For more information, please visit www.paarlmedia.co.za

Visit our PRESS OFFICE: Paarl Media’s five technologically advanced printing plants nationally offer exceptional quality and reliability. Our sales offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth ensure that with us, your printing is personal.- more....

[8 Aug 2007 15:20]

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