Acorn Web Offset is bringing pre-press in-house to enhance its customer service.


The Normanton-based printer, part of the Trader Media Groups print division, won the Catalogue Printer of the Year trophy at this weeks PrintWeek Awards. It plans to install ISDN lines, Macs and imagesetters in a building adjacent to its main plant.


Sales director John Preston said Acorn didnt plan on going CTP immediately. The firms eventual aim is to house pre-press and finishing including saddle stitching, perfect binding and mailing in the second plant, and use its original building solely for housing its presses.


Preston said Acorn had not yet chosen the equipment it would install. He thought the introduction of the pre-press department would create a dozen jobs. Acorn has been using GCL, another Trader Media Group firm, for its repro services.


Preston said the PrintWeek Award was unexpected as Acorn was better known for its magazine work, which accounts for almost 80% of its sales.


We are absolutely over the moon to beat the people we beat, St Ives and Polestar, and it being a quality award as well, he added.
The firms design agency is starting work on literature highlighting the award.


Story by Gordon Carson