In 1996 a new generation of the family became involved and began to lay the groundwork for a major expansion of the business. Queensberry installed the first computerised mat cutter in the album business and developed radical new in-house software to drive it.
As internet pioneers, we began to attract clients in North America and Britain.
Being able to tell stories through photos in albums that were designed to suit the images was a radical innovation in 2000, and an immediate success.
We developed new business systems so that we could talk to our clients personally and deliver promptly door to door.
More than three quarters of Queensberry’s sales now come from the northern hemisphere.
In 2001 we released Photojunction, the leading album design software program, which we now offer free to photographers everywhere. Thousands of photographers use the software, many of them choosing Queensberry albums.
In 2003 we bought Chromatek, New Zealand’s iconic wedding and portrait pro lab so we could deliver albums filled with the best possible printing to clients around the world.
In 2010 we entered the new world of digital offset printing and launched the Queensberry Press.
These newer ventures are as important to Queensberry now as handmade albums have always been. In fact our most recent innovations, such as Duo albums and our highly customisable press books, would be impossible without our expertise in technology and printing.
Adrienne's first role in Queensberry was making gold edge pin hinge pages while in junior high to pay her own way to Brisbane (Australia) for a holiday, and she has never let her parents forget it. She graduated from Auckland University with a B.Sc. in Zoology and for a few years pursued her love of animals by working with one of New Zealand's foremost animal trainers. She still wrangles animals for the occasional film shoot, and her dogs are famous in her neighbourhood for their geniality and good manners. In Queensberry Adrienne has worked throughout the finance, production and HR teams. Each year Adrienne also volunteers her time as a Senior Leader for Robbins Research International. She has a passion for team building and personal development and honestly doesn't mind taking direction from her brother.
After university Stephen worked briefly in Queensberry. His biggest achievement was a big corporate sale that still figures in company legend. Starting in 1990 Stephen spent seven years in corporate sales with Fuji Xerox in Brisbane where he developed a pioneering CRM package to personally help him manage a large, widespread territory. Not content in the corporate world he returned to Queensberry in 1996 after marrying Sonya and persuading her to leave the Queensland sun for Auckland's occasional showers. With over 20 years IT experience Stephen is the reason Queensberry was a pioneer in online business, and he's the driving force behind all our IT systems and software (including Photojunction), all of which have been developed in-house. To keep up with his sister, Stephen is still trying to teach his cats to wave.
Sonya’s family comes from the North of England but she was born and raised in Queensland, Australia. She met Stephen nineteen years ago when she was working in early childhood care and he was working for Xerox in Brisbane. Sonya and Stephen returned to NZ in 1996 to join Queensberry and loved it so much that along with Adrienne they became part owners of the family business with Heather and Ian in 1998. They have two daughters, Alexandria and Charlotte. Sonya is a keen amateur photographer, and has a great passion for recording family images, and a vast album collection to prove it. Besides running our sales and support team, Sonya has worked in production and despatch. She does mind taking direction from Stephen, but occasionally lets him have his own way.