Expanding printers take over rival's factory space

Jun 30 2009 by Chris Knox, The Journal

When Jordisons went into liquidation a second time in 2006, another former employee, Mick Theakston, took on the business and rebranded it as Theakston. With the help of an £80,000 investment to buy equipment from Corus-subsidiary UK Steel Enterprise at the start of the year, he looked set to make a success of the business until the effects of the recession took their toll.

However, Studio Print managing director Eddie Holder is confident that his business will not suffer a similar fate. He said: “We were saddened by the collapse of Theakston’s, and the earlier loss of Jordison’s, which was a big name in printing for about 160 years.

“But we’re not at all superstitious about taking over the factory because ours is a very different business strategy, we have built up a reputation for high quality and fast turnaround in printing and have successfully built up contracts with customers throughout the UK.”

As well as the addition of the Litho printer, Studio Print has also recently invested £85,000 in a Kodak plate setting machine.

Among the firm’s customers is Christmas Cards for Schools, which reproduces childrens’ designs on professionally printed cards, and Birthdays card shop chain, which has just announced that it is to close 136 of its stores – with 196 to be bought back, saving 1,450 jobs.

Mr Holder said: “We were a little concerned when we first heard about Birthdays, but we are confident we can retain our business with the company after news that it is to buy back 196 stores. We are also ready to move into new markets through the new equipment and are doing very well.”