Kok Wah Press, 1969
Incorporated in 1969, Ian Koo’s grandfather Koo Kwan Yuen started his printing business at 3 Gul Crescent (Singapore). It was well over 30,000 sq feet of production space. They had the best machines in those days – a web press, 4 colour presses, letterpress machines, a binding facility and gilding machines.
Ian’s father, together with his 3 brothers and 2 sisters managed the plant. Side by side they ran the plant with 2 shifts. With his parents busy at work, he was left to roam around the facility. At a young age of 8, he was already inducted to the world of print, helping with small tasks like collating forms, folding instruction manuals and punching holes into bill books.
Born with printing in his blood, he was exposed to how the business was being operated from a young age. He watched his father speak to clients and learnt how deals were made. In the back room, he watched his uncle get his hands greasy because a mechanical fault had occurred – and he learnt how print related problems were solved. He also learnt about workflow – as sheets of paper streamed out of the press, it was taken to the cutting room. Ian remembered very clearly strips of paper everywhere. There were also bags and bags of waste paper lined up against each other.
The first print related machine that intrigued him was the guillotine cutting machine which made a very unique sound. The knife was razor sharp and he was told NEVER to go near the machine. As much as he feared the machine, it was one that he had always wanted to try using.
Today, Ian, with both design and production knowledge, has been able to bridge the gap between designers and printers. By combining the use of multiple print methods and finishings, he has been able to produce works of great quality that are both unique and affordable.