The Ordnance Survey has taken a 25% stake in Dennis Maps, its provider of print services. The Frome printer runs a six-colour KBA Rapida 162a and Océ ColorWave printers to produce the range of hard copy mapping products for Ordnance Survey and other clients.
This includes around 2 million copes a year of the OS Landranger and Explorer series and a growing number of Custom Made maps selected to have a specific location at the middle of the map and variable cover image. Demand for this product is growing at 10% a year, says Ordnance Survey.
The deal paves the way for other types of printed output. Ordnance Survey leisure managing director Nick Giles says: “The agreement, and investment, by OS highlights our commitment to paper maps and we are looking forward to working with Dennis Maps to further develop our printed products over the coming years.”
The investment changes the relationship between the two from a customer supplier connection to a partnership where there is a vested interest in creating new types of printed mapping products. Steve Burry, managing director of Dennis Maps, adds: “Our highly skilled staff and modern facilities in Frome has clearly impressed the board of Ordnance Survey and we welcome them as partners to our business. We will now work even closer with them to develop further this quality map printing business in the UK, Europe and worldwide.”
Even before such innovation, demand for printed maps has been in the increase after fears that digital means would prove superior and render the print version obsolete.
The print company is exploring the possibilities offered by wide format inkjet “to sit alongside existing large format litho printing,” says Burry. “There is a place for inkjet alongside this and the ColourWaves.”
The two companies have worked together after Ordnance Survey chose to outsource map printing following a move five years ago to new premises in Southampton. Butler Tanner & Dennis won that contract and a subsequent tender. When the books side of the business failed, Dennis Maps continued the map printing operation in new premises in Frome. It operates with 20 full time staff and access to freelance and casuals as required, Burry explains.
As well as Ordnance Survey, the printer works for British Geological Survey, Ordnance Survey Ireland, and other private clients producing land maps and flight maps for civil aviation.
Ordnance Survey is set up as a Government Company, operating in the private domain and returning a dividend to government. This allows it more freedom and flexibility of action than as a government agency, hence the drive for different styles of product. It is constantly updating the information contained in its databases used to create digital and physical maps amounting to thousands of amends a day.
It has 600 map titles and will be launching a new edition of the core titles next year.
Dennis Maps is part of the Estate of Felix Dennis and operates for the benefit of the Heart of England Forest charity, set up by Felix Dennis to create an indigenous forest in Warwickshire.
Dennis Maps uses a KBA Rapida KBA 162a to print maps for a range of clients including Ordnance Survey which has now taken a 25% stake in the Frome business.
