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Responding quickly to market conditions has been at the core of the evolution of Thames Print Room's (TPR) operation, and finance director and general manager Louise Garside is all too aware that if you hesitate, you can easily be left behind. She believes the print industry's future lies with digital. "It's inevitable," she says. "Customers want shorter runs that improve their cashflow, and digital print also reduces waste and offers versatility."

In the past year, TPR has addressed the trend for digital print and diversified its product range into a raft of new
sectors. Its focus used to be plan printing and a large part of its customer base were from the building and architectural sectors. “But this is an area that is now in decline,” says Garside. “So it was obvious we needed to concentrate on the digital side.”

Best of both worlds
The company’s aim is to increase its digital output from 60% to 70% by the end of the year. To help make that extra 10% a reality, a new HP Indigo 5500 press was installed in July, part of a £290,000 investment. Garside says the new machine offers the best of the offset and digital worlds with “quick turnaround times, substrate versatility and up to seven-colour printing options”. It joins the company’s existing HP Indigo 3050 digital press. While Garside admits it would be good to install a third press, she says such an investment won’t happen in the short term. For now, the main aim is to get both Indigos running at full capacity, pushing the company well towards its 2009 turnover target.

TPR was founded in 1974 and its recent growth and diversification reflects its responsiveness to the changing market. In 1984, it moved to its current head office in Reading and in 1987 it opened a branch in Slough. A Thatcham branch was added in January 2007. TPR is owned by Dave and Marina Barnett and Paul and Brenda Leeke, who bought it four years ago. While the company operates independently, it is part of GDL ColourLink, an independent consortium of printers and kit suppliers, which has one print company in each region of the UK.

Sharing the cost
TPR is the GDL’s Thames Valley printer and being part of it enables the business to punch above its weight in both digital and litho. “It offers a high level of support and also allows each company to get advice from others within the group,” says Garside. For example, one of TPR’s sister litho companies is nearby. “If needs be, it can pick things up for us and in return we can take on digital work. We can share the costs as a group and we don’t have to make decisions in isolation.”

Garside is relatively new to the industry, having taken on the role two-and-a-half years ago coming from a database marketing agency. However, what she may lack in industry experience, she more than makes up for in ambition. TPR currently has a £2.25m turnover with a profit of £50,000. She has her sights set on boosting turnover to £3m by the end of 2009, but admits that the time frame may be tight if the current challenging economic climate continues.

Plans to expand
The decision to invest in the 5500 was made before the economic downturn bit and Garside says there are pros and cons to investment when the market has turned. “When business has slowed it becomes more difficult to get the press working at full capacity. But on the plus side we are now fully equipped and ready to tackle the market when it bounces back, especially as the digital sides of things grow.”

Garside’s ambition doesn’t stop at investing in another press and boosting turnover. There are also plans to expand the company and open more sites in the near future. Following on from its ISO 14001 accreditation, becoming FSC certified is also on the cards for TPR.

Garside admits the rest of 2008 will be tough. “If September and October don’t improve on August, the industry may have problems,” she says. “Companies are either carrying on or closing down. However, all the indicators at the moment suggest that the market will recover.”

TPR FACFILE
Headquarters Reading
Turnover £2.25m
Staff 45
Branches Slough, Thatcham
Formed 1974
Finance director and general manager Louise Garside