Owner and managing director Tim O’Shea started Chapel Press in July 1983, in a small room that he rented from his father who ran a DIY shop in Didsbury.
The business grew and moved to an industrial unit in Stockport, and then in 1996 to its current location on the Bredbury Industrial Estate where the firm was able to buy its own plot of land and design a purpose-built factory.
O’Shea said he had always tried to be “cool, calm and collected” and take a pragmatic approach when adapting to changing market conditions and various challenges over the years.
The firm invested in a ten-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster XL75 just before the financial crisis in 2008, and a second B2 Speedmaster was installed at the end of 2019, just prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Chapel Press has always been ready to seek out new opportunities and ready to make key investment in businesses, staff and equipment, we are strong and remain more aspirational than ever,” he said.
“Forty years has gone very quickly. I’m very proud of the fact that we’ve been profitable every year for forty years. The furlough scheme certainly helped during the pandemic.”
He praised his loyal staff and great customer base “all of which are never taken for granted”.
The commercial print firm offers a range of litho and digital services and focuses on high quality work for an established client base in the public and private sector. It is a preferred supplier to multiple organisations.
Last month Chapel Press acquired the historic Deanprint name, some of its equipment, and intellectual property and stock including the Quirepale brand of specialist supplies for hairdressers and salons.
Deanprint was shuttered in April after the firm went into administration as part of the wider collapse of the Manchester Printers Group of companies, which had acquired Deanprint just eight months earlier.
“We had done work for Deanprint and they had done work for us for many years. Unfortunately, because of the state of its finances at the end, there was never any chance of making a bid for it.
“We’ve taken on two of the former staff and the Deanprint name will become a trading name or division of Chapel Press,” he explained.
“It’s very early days but the bits we’re going to focus on are commercial print work. Maybe in the future we’ll add Wire-O binding.”
Chapel Press employs 28 and a team celebration to mark the anniversary was held in Manchester last week.
O’Shea said current trading was “very busy” with some new work added due to recent business failures in the Manchester area, including Manchester Printers and RAP Spiderweb.
“This year turnover should be £3m and we’ll be hoping to grow that further in the next year or two,” he added.
“I never stop thinking about the business, personnel and customers, I am even more excited about the future and where this will take Chapel Press to new heights”.
As well as its range of commercial printing services, Chapel Press offers wide-format printing, which it plans to expand, and business gifts.
