GOING FOR GROWTH
MINUTEMAN PRESS EYES A BRIGHT FUTURE
After 23 years in business , Minuteman Press has undergone a total business transformation . Following a £ 1 million move to new premises on Pines Way Industrial Estate in central Bath , the company has almost doubled production capacity , with quicker turnaround times . The Business Exchange caught up with Managing Director David Ghent and Marketing Director Dave Dixon to find out more about Minuteman Press ’ s plans for the future .
Most readers will be familiar with the Minuteman brand and many of them will have worked with you over the years . Where and how did it all start for Minuteman Press ? Dave : It all started in 1998 when our MD David Ghent had a vision to provide the best printing services in Bath . He saw a gap in the market for a city-centre location to offer on-site print and copying services . We ’ ve since outgrown our Walcot Street site and have developed into a commercial print , design and signage service in our new facility at Pines Way .
Over recent years the business has continued to grow . What would you say is the key to your success ? David : For us it ’ s always been about putting our customers first . We like to help them stretch their marketing budgets as far as possible . Sometimes it ’ s not about finding the cheapest option , it ’ s about the maximum return on their investment . The success of our customer base is our success . We still have customers today that placed their first orders back in 1998 !
What would you say have been the major trends or changes in your industry over the past decade ? Dave : Speed and print enhancements ! Sure , if you want a simple brochure to go through a door or get picked up with a load of other flyers that ’ s great , we can produce thousands of those and you ’ ll get a small percentage return rate . However , we find that once we add a spot of gloss , gold ink or foil it stands out from that crowd . We ’ ve also invested heavily over the years in the most up to date technology and most reliable kit to ensure that we can produce great results on time and quickly . After all you ’ ve seen it on your screen and you are keen to have it in your hand .
Many firms will look to the cheapest online print job . What does Minuteman Press offer that sets you apart from online suppliers ? David : Online print is great if you want cheap bulk printing and you ’ re 100 per cent sure that your artwork is designed well , you ’ re not too concerned about the final colours and you don ’ t need any advice or are not expecting a long term relationship with a local supplier .
Most of our clients value business relationships and like to discuss their print job and how they might make it look as good as possible . Alongside that excellent level of customer service , we are also able to meet almost any deadline ; most of our work is produced the same day on site here at Pines Way , with real people checking your artwork , colours and print quality .
We are also a one stop shop . We will deal with your business forms , flyers and brochures , and we can also produce shop signage , vehicle graphics and exhibition displays . You really don ’ t need to go to many different sources for your marketing materials .
What impact did the Covid-19 pandemic have on your business ? Have you diversified your offering as a result ? Dave : We very soon discovered the joy of floor and wall graphics ! We did a little bit of that pre-pandemic , but then we had to take it to another level . Our Large Format Studio Manager was in fact working hard during the first lockdown producing a catalogue with a full range of social distancing signage . We also had to test the materials to ensure that they were safe enough for installation on the ground - we really didn ’ t want people slipping on our floor graphics !
We produced thousands of linear metres of floor and wall graphics . We continue to do so now , but for marketing purposes rather than safety .
The Minuteman Press success story continues with your move to bigger and better premises . Tell us about the move . Why now ? What scope does it give you for the future ? What changes will your customers see ? David : In reality , we outgrew Walcot Street many years ago . We were based across three different locations and we really could not reach our full potential there . The new location represents a £ 1 million investment in the business . We have two of Xerox ’ s top end presses and we have added the full range of speciality colours to those , this includes white , fluorescent , gold , silver and clear toners , the range of colours we can achieve really is impressive . We ’ ve added short run foiling in house and of course our huge vehicle bay means that we can now do signwriting on cars and vans .
Our signage team is expanding our offer further . Interiors will be a big growth area for us including printed graphics on walls , floors and windows . Window blinds are very popular at the moment and a really cost-effective way to keep your branding visible .
What have you been most proud of at Minuteman Press over the years ? Dave : We are proud of our level of customer retention . We work closely with our client base to ensure that they are always happy . We are also always happy to give back to our local community , through supporting charities and clubs with free or heavily discounted printing , as well as being proud to be a local business taking part in the civic life of our city .
With room for growth and a future-proofed set up , what ’ s next for Minuteman Press ? David : We are in the right premises at last , so we now need to consolidate and plan for expansion . We need to continue strengthening our print and signage offering and ensure that we are seen locally as Bath ’ s number one printer , as well as growing our online sales nationally .
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