Hobs Reprographics has bought assets and is offering jobs to staff from collapsed prepress and digital print business Face, which called in administrators last week.
But while it is taking on the Face brand along with Xeikon printing machinery, it is not taking on the Face premises in Islington. Hobs operates from six London locations, including the flagship Hobs Digital hub in Marylebone Lane which will house the Face operation. Staff from Face will be offered vacancies the group has across each of the sites says a spokesman. “Some of the former directors have been offered consultancy roles,” he adds.
Hobs is best known for its services to the architectural and construction industry, this expanding in recent years to include 3D printing and high quality digital printing for presentation pitches and marketing collateral. Face has offered this kind of work along with direct mail and display graphics.
It amounts to an overlap in services between the two businesses, perhaps servicing the same kinds of customers but from a different perspective. Craig Horwood, managing director of Hobs Repro, says: “Hobs Repro is much more than a printer; the Face customers can now access our creative design team and additional services.
“And this enhances what Hobs can do for its customers in central London.”
The acquisition comes within weeks of the appointment of former Xerox executive James Duckenfield as group CEO, enabling Kieran O’Brien to become a non-executive director. Says Duckenfield: “We’ve ambitious plans for both organic and non organic growth and I want to see the Hobs business almost double by 2020.”
It currently generates sales of £33.6 million in 2015 and following an investment by the Business Growth Fund two years ago has access to the funds that might be needed. It has already increased head count from 300 to 410 in the two years and increased sales from £30 million.
As well as the printing and content management business of Hobs Repro, the company comprises Hobs On-Site, its facilities management arm; Hobs Studio its expanding 3D printing business and Anexys, the legal reprographics and discovery operation, which is also earmarked for expansion.
In a 30-year career, Duckenfield has worked for Kodak and Ricoh before selling NewField IT, a business he co-founded, to Xerox in 2003. He has latterly been its chief innovation officer, consulting and analytics services.
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Hobs Repro has acquired some of the Face people, assets and business after Face went into administration last week. New CEO James Duckenfield aims to almost double turnover by 2020.
