Former B&P Print Finishing technical director Reg Walwyck has set up his own trade finishing house.

The Purfect Binding Company (PBC) was established with the backing of Close Asset Finance. It employs 15 staff and operates from newly refurbished 1,150m2 premises in Londons Park Royal.

It houses a range of new kit including a 16-station Wohlenberg Masterbinder from PPS, an ST300 saddlestitcher from Heidelberg as well as three MBO folders and a Schneider guillotine bought from Friedheim International.

Walwyck is targeting the short- to medium-run high-quality perfect binding market but has invested in the stitcher to provide "comprehensive" services.

"It has started very strongly," said Walwyck, who aims to achieve sales of 1m in the first year of operation. "The big thing is to get more customers to know where we are."

Walwyck spent 27 years with Wyndeham Press subsidiary B&P, which has twice won the PrintWeek Finishing Company of the Year Award. He said: "Ill be entering [PBC] next year a fledgling company with nine months turnover, it could be a tight one."

B&P was formerly based in nearby Wembley, but Walwyck left when it relocated to Luton.

* The 2001 PrintWeek Awards will take place on Monday (22 October).