Member Article

Printing business expands

A Sunderland couple who went into business together have watched their printing company flourish and grow since setting up only four years ago.

First2Print provides tailor made design and print solutions UK wide and is run by married couple Martyn and Donna Young. The company have moved to bigger offices three times at the North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC), starting out in a 300 sq ft office for two people to one of the site’s biggest office space at 6000 sq ft.

The company has expanded and now employees six members of staff. Martyn, Managing Director of First2Print, decided to become his own boss in the printing industry after previously working in the motor trade. Martyn said: “I used to work in the motor trade selling BMWs and realised that I wanted to drive these cars - not sell them to other people.

“Printers are going out of business everyday but what we have done with First2Print is reinvested in technology, buying equipment outright that allows us to be faster, more profitable and to work to a higher standard than our competition. For example we have recently purchased the largest latex printer in the North East, 2.6 metres wide.

“The future of First2Print is simple we want to continue and maintain to provide efficient and cost effective printing service. I think it is short sighted to only think locally, we are sending our work to France, Italy and other destinations in Europe. It’s making our business so much more visible that we can work all over the world whilst based in the North East.

“However we do work with a lot of other local printers, and we try to think locally if we need to buy services in. Basing your business at a place like the BIC, where you are surrounded by other SME’s can be extremely beneficial. The BIC has the right outlook and feel for growing business and it has been the catalyst for the growth of our company.

“We stay with the BIC because they continually give us what we need and what better place to see regional growth than right here in Sunderland. Businesses are constantly growing and developing and that’s nice to see.”

Pulse Creative Marketing is a division of the BIC which offers a range of creative services and works with a broad range of clients, dealing with all aspects of how they communicate with their customers. Paul, Marketing Manager, commented: “It’s great to see another creative business be so successful especially in a short six years. I wish First2Print all the best for the future.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sarah Spence .