Very few European countries compare to the UK these days in terms of consolidation of the printing industry. Now, Polestar has taken over Benhamgoodheadprint and Stones The Printers.
On 28 November, British printing group Polestar UK Print Ltd took over the Goodhead Group, one of the UK’s largest magazine printers. The takeover materialized just after Allan Graham and David Standish of KPMG were appointed administrators of the Goodhead Group. On appointment, the administrators sold the business with operations in Bicester and Banbury to Polestar Group, avoiding the need for any redundancies and securing 518 jobs.
“The printing sector has suffered extremely difficult trading conditions over the last few years, but we are pleased that we have been able to rescue the business and over 500 jobs with today’s sale to Polestar, one of the market leaders in the printing sector,” Allan Graham commented on the sale.
The Goodhead Group comprises the assets of Benhamgoddheadprint (BGP) and Stones The Printers. BGP is a web offset facility based in Bicester printing weekly, monthly and bi-monthly periodical magazines and retail catalogues with 400 employees. Stones The Printers is a full colour sheetfed printer based in Banbury with 140 employees providing both commercial and periodical publications.
Barry Hibbert, CEO of Polestar UK Print Ltd said “We are delighted to add the firepower and product capability of BGP and Stones to the Polestar portfolio which will strengthen and extend our client service offering substantially.
“BGP and Stones are superbly equipped facilities with dedicated and highly skilled employees and, whilst some changes will be inevitable, it is our intention to continue with the businesses in their current form. We are confident that the integration of these operations into the Polestar Group will be a positive move for customers, employees and suppliers of the business.“
⇒ Find this article in its entirety and any associated background information in EUWID Pulp and Paper no. 49.
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