Palmer took up his new position yesterday (7 September). Prior to joining Geoff Neal he spent four-and-a-half years heading up sales at Sterling Solutions in Kettering, and before that he was managing director at Stones the Printers in Banbury.

Geoff Neal managing director Sam Neal said the connection came about after he was introduced to Palmer by chance. “We got on very well and got talking, and things moved on from there. He’s a great chap and we’re very excited about him joining the business.”

Palmer told PrintWeek: “I can’t wait for the fresh challenges ahead. Geoff Neal stands for all the things I hold dear and they are at the beautiful end of print. It was the right time for me to go back into this sort of environment.”

The award-winning Geoff Neal business is based in Feltham, near London’s Heathrow Airport. The £15m turnover company employs around 90 staff. It runs litho and digital kit, and produces a range of high-end print work for clients including Bentley, Aston Martin, Boden, Dyson and British Airways.

The firm was the first UK printing company to order a Drupa-specification Heidelberg Speedmaster XL106, and took delivery of its new press at the end of last year.