Fewings will not be replaced as Heidelberg says it has sufficient staff in its finishing division. UK managing director George Clarke said it would be hard to replace his sort of experience.

Since Mark Hogan joined us [as business executive for post-press in the UK and Nordics] we have been slightly over strength and as weve increased the number of salesmen in the field, were still at or even above the level of employees we need, added Clarke.

Friedheim International managing director Peter Morris described Fewings as an admirable competitor.

Hes extremely knowledgeable and so Heidelberg will miss him, and the industry will be worse off without him, said Morris.

Fewings, who began his 40-year career as a bookbinding and trade-finishing apprentice, is retiring to the south coast next year.

Id like to see trade finishers taken more seriously, with operators getting pay parity with press operators and more young people in post-press, he said.

Story by Rachel Barnes

Picture: Fewings - admired