Glasgow-based J Thomson Colour Printers has merged with Bell and Bain to create a £30m annual turnover business following the sale by Nick Thomson - chairman of J Thomson Colour Printers - of his 100 per cent equity holding in the business to Bell and Bain for an undisclosed sum. A statement said all jobs at the 300-strong merged group would be protected.
The two businesses will continue to operate in their respective markets under managing directors Kevin Creechan at J Thomson Colour Printers and Karen Baillie at Bell and Bain.
Stephen Docherty, a well-known print industry executive who took full control of Bell and Bain in 2019, and who will be chairman of the merged business, said: “This exciting transaction offers us the ability to capitalise on our respective strengths to create a major force within the Scottish and UK print industry.
“With our combined resources we will be in a position both to expand our current operations and to invest substantially to create new efficiencies and opportunities for future growth.
“By investing consistently in new technology, as well as in the skills of our merged team, we are very confident about the future for our industry and believe we can make a major impact in the UK print market.”
Thomson, who will continue until the end of the year as a consultant to the merged business, said: “I am delighted that this coming together of two first-class Glasgow-based print companies will create an enhanced business with tremendous potential for growth. It is a meeting of two outstanding businesses which will provide a major boost for our industry in Scotland.”
Founded in 1831 by James Bell and Andrew Bain and based in Thornliebank, Glasgow, Bell and Bain is an independent book printer and works with most of the country’s major publishing houses and institutions, including both Oxford and Cambridge universities as well as the Open University.
J Thomson Colour Printers is based in Glasgow’s Tradeston district and was established in 1952. It provides a full printing service to a range of large and small business across Scotland and throughout the rest of the UK.
