60 seconds with Tudor Bookbinding

Ian Chamberlain set up Tudor Bookbinding in 1992, after spotting a gap in the market for a print finishing service while working as a binding room manager. The firm started off in the centre of Leicester, with secondhand kit and five staff.

Where are you based?

As Tudor Bookbinding became established, we moved to Wigston, on the outskirts of Leicester, which allowed the business to expand outside the city

How many staff do you have? 

20, some of whom have been with the company from the start

What does your firm do? 

Some days the work will be straightforward jobs. Short-run perfect binding for digital printers is a constant source of work, as is hand collating of leaflets and wallet make-up. Other days the work is very technical, with hand case-making and more recently laser cutting 

What’s your typical customer?

Local printing companies and smaller digital print firms that use us rather than buying their own finishing kit. Also, quite a few design agencies are approaching us to help with specialist projects

Which areas do you serve?

We work on specialist projects with companies all over Britain and Ireland

Who are your clients?

From a person who requires their family Bible restoring to national corporations who want books shrink-wrapping

What’s your USP?

We will work with our customers on any size of project. The earlier we can be involved, the more beneficial it is to all parties. 

What’s your company’s motto?

“Of course we can”

What’s been your proudest achievement in the past few years?

We recently helped to design a ring binder from sustainable materials laser etched with a very complex logo. The agency was so impressed they want to enter it for a design award

What’s your team’s favourite biscuit?

The staff will eat anything that is put in front of them!