Digital drive for 125-year-old printer

Northend Creative Print Solutions, of Clyde Road, off Broadfield Road, is installing a digital press room as part of an improvement project to meet demand from national clients.

The firm employs 50 people and produces leaflets, books and manuals using traditional printed methods - off plates - but increasingly from digital sources, such as PDFs.

Managing director Nigel Stubley said digital output now accounted for more than 50 per cent of the business and growing.

He added: “Customers want to deliver much more personalised, one-to-one marketing messages. We want to enhance our digital kit to add to our firepower because technology is changing all the time and we need to be proactive and keep up with digital developments.

“Finance Yorkshire has supported us in the past and are there for smalle and medium-sized businesses just like us.”

Funding body Finance Yorkshire has loaned the firm £100,000.

Alex McWhirter, chief executive of Finance Yorkshire said Northend was a “great example of the type of business that Finance Yorkshire looks to invest in.”

He added: “Northend has grown to become an established, successful and profitable business. The company continues to evolve and innovate with our continued support – just one of the many hundreds of success stories in the Finance Yorkshire investment portfolio.”

The loan marks a milestone for the organisation, which works with firms who find it difficult to obtain a high street bank loan. It has now invested £100m in 792 businesses in Yorkshire and Humber since 2010, boosting overall turnover by £360 million and creating or safeguarding more than 11,000 jobs.

James Newman, chairman of Finance Yorkshire, said: “It’s a tremendous achievement for everyone – the board, executive management team, fund managers and all partners.”