60 seconds with Print Image Network

PIN's UK Engage brand is seeing strong growth in its private sector work
PIN's UK Engage brand is seeing strong growth in its private sector work

Managing director John Foster “took the plunge” and set up Print Image Network in June 2000. “Renting a very small unit in an old cotton mill; started selling print and mailing as a managed service… armed with nothing more than a pen, notepad and phone.”

Fellow director Steve Power and another member of staff were quickly able to come on board and the company started on the path to achieving its initial goals.

Where are you based?

The first unit in Stockport grew into two then three as staff numbers increased. We bought our own premises (also in Stockport) in 2010

How many staff do you have?

In all, there are 23 staff employed directly although we work with hundreds around the country at peak times

What does your firm do?

Right from the outset, we wanted to truly add value and meaning to our work and become experts in niche areas within our wider industry. We specialise in the complex area of data, print and mailing in the electoral field. Once tenders and new customers are won, we take over all of the workload and help/advise all the way to goods delivery

What’s your typical customer?

We have two sides to the business, all to do with voting and voter registration. There’s internet voting (supported by printed and mailed collateral) under the brand UK-Engage; and traditional methods where we supply data programming, design, print and mailing under the brand Print Image Network, mainly for councils and serving the needs of their electorate

Which geographic areas do you serve?

Mainly England and Wales, although we have customers all over the UK as well as an amount of export work

What’s your USP?

The most excellent customer service and carrying that ethos through from start to finish

What’s your company’s motto?

We handle crucial projects and each element must be carried through to a 100% finish. The core values – chosen by all of our staff – are: commitment, efficiency, knowledge, professionalism and trust

What equipment do you run?

We pride ourselves on having strong relationships with a whole host of manufacturing sites. The beauty of our model is that we nurture and form very strong partnerships all over the industry. We are constantly abreast of the latest methodology enabling our clients to keep at the very forefront of technology, utilising machinery and methods most suitable for their requirements

What’s been your proudest achievement in the past few years?

The continual proudest achievement is seeing the emails and messages that come in, thanking our staff so much for the support, help and advice they have been able to give our customers in a very pressured environment

Where do you see your business in five years’ time?

Carefully managed growth!

What’s your team’s favourite biscuit?

Ginger nuts (yes, I am sure)