Brian Longmore “Man of Paper” Retires

13th August, 2012

Well known industry identity Brian Longmore retires in August after serving nearly 23 years with Spicers Paper, following on after 16 years with Tomasetti Paper, and 9 years as a printer.

Brian is well known to print and design community for his enthusiasm and passion for excellence in design, print and paper.

Fostering a desire to lead the industry forward brian and Spicers brought out international speakers on design and print including Martin B Peterson, Joe Duffy, Kit Hinrichs and Dana Arnett.

"Brian Longmore was, by far, the most intuitive and trusting client I ever had the good fortune to work with. But more than that he had a deep knowledge of paper and the wonderful results you could achieve with it. For the 25 years I worked with him professionally he lived and breathed paper. I have never met any client more genuinely enthusiastic about their product than Brian." - Mimmo Cozzolino

Spicers brought to Australia the renown Mead Annual Report Show in the early 90s , following up with corporate communication workshops lead by Dana Arnett from VSA Partners in the US in 2000's.

Fostering relationships with the best printers in other countries enabled Spicers to bring the most innovative print and design to Australia in the 90s, thus inspiring local printers and designers to compete and be judged against the best in the world.Australian print and design is world class and continually strives to be at the leading edge.

Passion for educating and developing people is one of his legacies, and many of todays best operators have work with Brian along his journey.

Spicers were the first merchant to have a technical services manager when they appointed Mark Holland in the 90s, and the introduction of the Spicers Paper School was another initiative that was born out of the Spicers desire to inspire and educate. Spicers led the way and were pioneers in introducing papers especially made for Digital printing and more recently Ink Jet papers.

Working with a wide circle of creative people like Mimmo Cozzolino,David Hughes,Phil Ellet,Horniak and Canny,Ross Barr,Walter Wakefield provided creative stimulus for spicers and there products.

Supporting ADGA since day one and AGIDEAS also from inception Brian and Spicers have provided support and encouragement to the design industry.

In the 80 and 90s Brian was a regular lecturer of "Paper-the importance of choosing the right stock" to young graphic design students at Swinburne, Phillip Institute (later to become RMIT) and Monash Universities.

He initiated a regular printed magazine called STOCK in 1992 - which he produced with Brian Pascoe Design that ran for 20 years. STOCK was to become an industry showcase for the best in design and print on Spicers papers.

Brian is well known in the design and print community for his infectious laugh, and a passion for collecting amazing printed samples from around Australia and overseas. Spicers Paper under Brian's guidance developed a team of like-minded people who continually looked for new and innovative substrates to bring to the market. This enabled designers and printers to delight their clients with effective and memorable printed communications.

Brian has moved to the mornington peninsula and hopes many of his friends from the design and print community will visit and enjoy a glass of wine from the local vineyards.

"Brian has been a supplier and a client of Watts Design for more than 22 years and we'd describe him as a master at turning business into pleasure. Brian's always been the life of most parties, because that's what he does best - work the room, red in hand, talking to anyone who will listen (and most do). His infectious laughter always reverberate around whatever crowd he's in. I'm sure that won't change as he moves on to a new stage in his life.

What an amazing 23 year career - devoted to paper and its unique uses, from sales to high management. Brian's list of friends and aquaintances would leave everyone else's for dead. He's a very popular, approachable gentleman who we won't miss -because we'll be down on the Peninsula working the vinyeards with him sometime very soon!" - Peter & Helen Watts, WATTS DESIGN.