Ambitious growth plans of new printer after setting up Redditch headquarters with help from John Truslove
The workforce at a new Redditch printing firm has grown since it launched last summer after help finding the right home from commercial property agents John Truslove.
Webb Print & Display saved five jobs from a previous printing firm and has grown to employ ten people so far. Owner Michael Corless now has plans to expand the business to employ 20 to 25 people within the next few years.
“Our original plan to buy an existing firm fell through so we started last summer as a completely new business,” said Mike.
“I’d worked with Ben Truslove at John Truslove before, so he was virtually my first call. He helped us look at nine or ten premises around the Redditch area. We put offers in on two and successfully secured a five year lease on 10 Colemeadow Road, on North Moons Moat industrial estate.
“From start to finish we had the keys in about a month, which enabled us to get off to a rapid start installing presses, laminators and other equipment.
“We began with a strong international customer base and good contacts in the industry but we wanted steady and controlled growth for the first few months,” Mike continued.
“We’re now in a position to scale up the business and we are starting to target local businesses and companies across the region as new customers to help with our growth. We believe there is an enormous opportunity for us here.”
Webb P&D specialises in large format printing for retailers, brands and exhibitions markets, ranging from shop displays and signage to full exhibition and space acitvations, and already works across the UK and Europe. Mike is predicting a first full year turnover of £1.5m to £1.8m, and aims to grow the business to £4m-£5m company with a strong reputation and a skilled workforce.
“The geography of Redditch is ideal for reaching London, Manchester and Liverpool, as well as Birmingham of course. It’s one reason the town was once a national centre for the printing industry – I started out more than 20 years ago at the old SP Group, just a couple of streets from where we are now.”
The company’s base is a 11,500 sq ft factory/warehouse unit with two floors of offices at the front and an enclosed gated concrete yard.
Ben Truslove, joint managing director at John Truslove, said: “Mike and Webb P&D are a great new tenant for our landlord client. Mike has a wealth of experience in the printing industry and a clear plan to expand the business and create jobs for skilled local people.
“With its regional and national reach, Webb has given itself a great start with a base located at the heart of the country’s transport network. Along with high quality, successful estates of industrial units like Colemeadow Road, it is making Redditch an attractive place for new and growing businesses.
“As a result, we are seeing increasing demand for commercial units of all kinds across this area.”
It was a double celebration for Ben as he has been ranked second most successful dealmaker in the UK in the 2021 EG Radius On-Demand Rankings.
He negotiated 89 sales and lettings during the year in a top ten dominated by partners from all the UK’s leading property agencies.
He was the top industrial and commercial property agent in the West Midlands. The agency, John Truslove, came first in Worcestershire and third in Warwickshire.
And the business will this year celebrate 40 years since it was launched in 1982 by John Truslove.
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