Digital printer in ambitious move

Jun 25 2008 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

A PRINTING company which handles 3,000 orders a day and gains 50 customers a month has increased its factory space by 60% as it aims to increase annual turnover by 33% to £12m

The purchase of Cramlington’s Ravensworth Digital last year for £5.85m by London’s Tangent Communications has fuelled its ambitions.

Still led by the management team from the time of the sale – sales director Suzie Pattison, finance director Kevin Cameron and operations director Ian Gordon – Ravensworth plans to squeeze out a greater market share as well as opening up new markets.

A £300,000 investment has seen the company, which prints high-quality property particulars for estate agents across the UK, add 10,000sq ft to accommodate its ambitious plans.

It expects to see staff numbers rise from 60 to 80 within 18 months as turnover increases from £9m to £12m.

Mr Cameron said: “We report to the London board, but we have a high level of autonomy. We are pretty much left to get on and run the business.

“This expansion is allowing us to develop our bespoke direct mail arm and we have already secured some major clients. Over the years our continued investment in the most up-to-date digital printing facilities has left us in a unique position in the market place.

“We have trebled our printing capabilities in the last four years while also improving quality, range and the flexibility of our print runs.”

Ms Pattison said: “Orders received before noon can be dispatched on the same day for arrival the following day. … A further driver for growth in our estate agent portfolio are the Home Improvement Packs and we are now producing 400 of these a day, with the capability to do a lot more.”