Greeting card publisher Woodmansterne officially named its new printing press and production facility in Milton Keynes on June 27
MD Seth Woodmansterne unveiled the name of the new £3.5million facility at an event attended by the company’s staff, suppliers and press.
And the event turned into a family affair as Seth was joined by his dad and Chairman Paul – and the youngest member of the Woodmansterne family, 13-month-old Peregrine, great grandson of the firm’s founder Graham.
Paul emphasised the importance of the UK’s family firms, saying: “It’s the bedrock of UK businesses; 40% are family businesses, so we’re really hoping that this little guy will think, ‘I’ll never work in my daddy’s business’. I said that, Seth said that, and Peregrine can now say that too if he wants to!”
The new press has been named The Croxley Press, to acknowledge the Croxley Green site of its Watford headquarters, where Woodmansterne has been based since the business began in 1953. It also acknowledges 19th century Croxley inventor John Dickinson, who devised and patented paper-making machinery, pioneered gummed paper and corrugated board, and owned the Croxley papermill.
The Milton Keynes site ships around 50m items in a year, Seth added, holds 10.8m greeting cards, and has the distinction of being one of the most environmentally greenest warehouses in the UK – with rainwater harvesting, skylights and solar panels.
