Talking Point

News of an MBO at North-East-based Simpsons Group came in February. The move saw well-known chairman Mark Simpson and his shareholding brother and sister exit the business formed in 1972 by Bill Simpson. Bill McNally (MD) and John Quinn (finance director) have stayed on to “lead the new management team through a period of transition” but in August the new management team takes over. So how will an MBO affect what was a family business? I asked new commercial director Mark Jerrard.

By Lesley Simpson

The first Pure Digital event will take place in Amsterdam in April. Organised by former Fespa men and InPrint founders Frazer Chesterman and Marcus Timson of FM Brooks, it aims to ‘excite the European creative industry with truly innovative digitally printed applications.’ Great idea, but will it work, and should you be involved? Here’s what Chesterman had to say…

By Lesley Simpson

Are PSPs in the large-format sector likely to flourish in 2018? That very question is being asked in our annual Widthwise poll, but being impatient to provide you with a grassroots point of view going into the new year I asked Signbox MD Mark Bartlett for his take on the situation.

By Lesley Simpson

As a company specialising in all kinds of portable displays, including banner stands, exhibition stands and fabric displays, PrintDesigns knows a thing or two about how important offline marketing remains to companies and to consumers - despite the digital revolution. But co-founder Mark Thompson also expects more integration between the two as he outlines here.

For many a year Ipex was a ‘must-attend’ show for printers. But things change, and the last event at Excel in London in 2014 left many wondering if it had had its day. Organisers put their thinking caps on and came up with a plan to deliver a reinvigorated show back at the NEC in Birmingham this autumn. But is it enough? I asked event director Rob Fisher for his take…

When newly married Ed Currer and his wife wanted to decorate their home without causing any damage to walls, he had something of a Eureka moment, out of which was born West Sussex-based surface graphics company Vinyl Impression.

Roland DG is transforming its business as sales of wide-format printers to mature markets - like signage - start to dip, and it recently announced a deal with Custom Gateway to provide an integrated ecommerce solution that will help it exploit the consumerisation of personalised digital print. Simon Wilcox has been briefed to look into the possibilities. So how does he see this playing out?

Blink’s website says its “aim from day one was to grow with the ever-changing landscape of print.” In line with that thinking the Lutterworth-based PSP - which offers digital large-format alongside litho and screen print and finishing services - has brought on board Neil Richardson as business development director. His background is not in print – so what is he expected to bring to the party?