The BPIF is on a mission to recruit more members following the appointment of Craig De Souza to lead the effort. The aim, it states in the organisation’s review of the last year, is to remind printers: “We are the go to, must join membership print organisation.”
The vision is stated in the brochure produced for the All Parliamentary Print Group reception at the House of Lords last week. It continues: “We’ve refocused to ensure we continue to be the only grade federation for the UK printing industry that provides best in class business services, regulated training and tracking of key industry trends to meet the requirements of each member.”
Precisely how this will be achieved is not yet explained as the federation, in a change with recent practice, held the networking event but not its AGM nor keynote or training session ahead of it. This will come later in the year with explanations of how the organisation will change to meet the challenges of a era in which print is regaining strength following the Covid years.
BPIF CEO Charles Jarrold reminded both his members and members of both Houses present that UK print is the second largest in Europe, supporting 7,200 businesses and is a net contributor to the UK exchequer. In an updated set of facts and figures handed to those attending, print is positioned as the fifth largest industry in the UK and that turnover had jumped back to £13.7 billion.
The BPIF’s own revenues rose in the last financial year, reaching £4.41 million (£4.36 million) with a surplus that fell from £308,000 to just £11,000.
The day, however, was about celebration, with awards to the young and to the recently retired as the organisation’s Outstanding Achievement Award was presented to Richard Walker who had stepped down as managing director of Harlow Printing the day before.
He intends to continue to be involved in print in some way, but exactly how he has not decided at this point.
If this was an award at the closing of a career, there were awards at the start. The Victor Watson Trophy, sponsored by the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards, was presented to Ryan O’Leary from Adare SEC, while Simon Biltcliffe presented Greg Fitzgerald from Bell & Bain with the Kathy Woodward Award for Learning and a cheque for £1,000.
Both are figureheads for youth in the industry, something that remains a problem when print is sometimes considered to be in decline. Instead, “it’s changing. There’s a good future in printing and for anyone joining, you will enjoy the rest of your life in printing” according to the man stepping back – Richard Walker.
