As many companies hit the brakes this year, one firm bucking the trend is Screenworks, which is continuning to take on quality orders, new staff plus investing in first-rate equipment.

The Suffolk based company in Haverhill can proudly claim a strong range of major corporate clients for its printing services during its near twenty-year history.

Its roll-call of work has included everything from Ferrari cap badgework, t-shirts print runs for the likes of Shell, Blackberry phones, M & S and Boots to name a few.

One of its most significant jobs involved with designing artwork for the launch of the Playstation 3, which proved a particularly satisfying challenge.

Certainly, MD of the company, Andy Gilmour appears in buoyant mood despite a gloomy economic backdrop. Though he takes a pragmatic approach, he says maintaining a positive attitude is vital to weathering the present trading conditions. It's no mean feat that his company has continued to expand in a competitive marketplace and an investment in personnel and training has reflected this.

"How we've grown as a company on this site in the last 4 years since we have been here has been phenomenal. One of the reasons for this is that we've never sat around and waited for orders to come in, we have always been proactive," he explains of the business which has been designed as a one-stop screen printing and clothing provider. Underlining its success, the company is capable of producing around 10,000 finished garments per day and with a number of new projects on the horizon, this is only set to increase.

Building on its increased activity, this year Screenworks made its debut on the exhibition scene with an appearance at the Trade Only show held at the Ricoh arena in Coventry. It proved a valuable experience in boosting the profile of the company.

"It was excellent, we've done some really good business from the show and a lot of orders have been placed within a couple of weeks of the event. The show was very well organised and we are glad that we made the decision to start doing exhibitions this year," reveals Andy.

Being invited for a tour round the company's base, it's quickly apparent that its close-knit team are passionate about their work in producing designs through to the finished product.

At the heart of the firm's ethos is a commitment to quality and reliability which has earned them an enviable reputation within the marketplace.

Like any company, there are logistical and mechanical obstacles which have posed headaches over the course of the years, but it seems their collective hard-work has paid off.

"Last summer we were so busy that we worked 12/14 hours a day 6 days a week fairly often. Most of our business is within the trade itself and we have a lot of dealings with marketing companies and embroiderers- we do our best to help out with producing runs of t-shirt orders of say up to 1,000 shirts which some smaller companies can't do.

We still do quite a lot of small run jobs. All our equipment is fully automated which guarantees garment consistency throughout our range. We have the capacity to do anything from a small scribbled design to full art work." he explained of Screenworks which has recognised the value of regularly enhancing its screen printing equipment and machinery.

Before locating to its present site, the company which was founded in 1991, had initially been based in nearby Saffron Walden. But with grand ambitions, it became apparent a larger facility would be required to grow the business.

Suffolk may not seem the most likely place to be launching a screen printing empire, but as its founder explains, Haverhill benefits from strong transport links. It's an industrial town which has witnessed much growth in recent years.

"When we first came to Haverhill we sat at the top of the stairs in the building and said how the hell are we going to fill this place. But the business has expanded into the building, which has been our remit from the start. We came here as a business with a £700,000 turnover and 12 staff. The latest annual figures are now a turnover of £1.6 million with 30 employees and we are taking on new people, which is a good sign."

Andy's route into the business stems from a genuine love of art and the fashion world He studied printed textiles and design at Hornsea College at the end of the 60s . "they were fantastic times, he reminisced of those fledgling years.

Prior to starting up Screenworks Andy had worked with design companies in the West End , something he found a particularly rewarding chapter in his life.

But when the chance arose to set up his own firm, he grasped it solidly and has never looked back. He adds that he's glad to have his son Duncan on board as a business manager.

The pair are at the centre of operations alongside office manager Matt Daines. Artwork for the company is overseen by production manager Dan Porter, whose small but dedicated team has been tasked with a diverse range of projects.

"We now have the facility to do everything from basic scribbles to full scale artwork for our customers as we are now a one-stop shop.

"A lot of our growth is down to having a bloody good team. We've not been afraid to go for it. We recently purchased our 4th screen printing machine, though not all of our investment is on that side- we believe in training people and have put a lot of work into that side of things for our artwork.

In the last 6 months we have invested in new ordering systems and hope to be a paper free office soon. That will make a huge difference as it forces us to be proactive and follow up on quotations."

Over the years, he's seen a sea change in the way the printwaer market has evolved. As he recalls, it's a far more technologically drive market which has driven up standards and increased the product range massively.

Asking him for a career highlight, he says it's not necessarily one particular project which stands out. "For me the business is all about the custmers- we have a fantastic client base who we have been dealing with for years."

Keeping everyone satisfied is a tall order, yet Screenworks is endeavouring to reamain true to its roots and is maintaing its place as one of the front-runners of the screen priting market.

For more information on Screenworks see the website www.screenworks.co.uk or tel 01440 702022 You can also visit its premises at Homefield Road, Haverhill, Suffolk, CB9 8QP

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

Bookmark this

---