Rod Fisher,
MD, Print-Leeds
http://www.print-leeds.co.ukWhat’s having the greatest impact on your business at the moment?
New technology. Our investment in the latest technology has increased productivity and impacted on the bottom line increasing profitability significantly.
Where do you see the greatest wide-format opportunities?
Opportunities for wide format print are everywhere. Print Leeds is now producing print for universities, museums and schools where as three years ago it was all about supermarkets. We are constantly looking for new markets and regular sales meetings consist of brain storming sessions; it does help that we offer a full installation service.
What would make your day-to-day operations easier?
More time on jobs. To be able to work with short turnaround we have implemented continental shifts and the company is now open six days a week, twenty-four hours a day.
Your favourite bit of kit is..?
I don’t have a favourite piece of kit, they are all capital assets to me. I do enjoy researching the latest technology - it’s fascinating the way digital print is developing.
What’s the best bit of business advice you’ve been given?
Don’t stand still; keep evolving the business.
What are you most proud of achieving?
How the business has evolved. I started my repro company in 1986 in a small unit and employed one person. The company has moved from repro to printing on plastics, purchased three companies - one being a repro house, a digital print company and finally a wet glue label company. We have moved three times and now finally a brand new, purpose built air-conditioned factory.
What lesson does the wide-format sector need to learn?
Not to undersell itself. I dislike businesses under cutting on price. Print Leeds prides itself on producing a quality product using the latest technology and behaving in an ethical manner.