Philip Foster has joined Solopress as head of business development, a year after parting company from Saxoprint. In the interim he spent ten months at AbleDocs, and now returns to a web to print business.
Foster’s career in plant began as a film planner and platemaker 35 years ago before a switch to sales, including a period running his own litho business, culminating in seven years at Saxoprint as senior sales executive.
In a post in LinkedIn, Foster says: “I’m really looking forward to the next chapter of my work journey. It’s exciting to be working for a company that offers such great quality and value across such a wide range of products, with an exceptional local UK production facility.”
The role will be to maintain key relationships and to build new business as Solopress looks to establish longer associations with trade customers and corporates. There will be onboarding of new customers and identifying businesses that “could benefit from working with Solopress”.
This mirrors his role at Saxoprint, but thanks to the combined effects of Brexit and Covid, there have slim pickings for overseas printers hoping to establish a strong presence in the UK, and the likes of FlyerAlarm and Saxoprint have dialled back their interests in the UK.
The exception is Onlineprinters.de which owns Solopress and is committed to investment in its Southend subsidiary. It has installed an Indigo 100k and the UK’s first Motioncutter 23 so far in 2022. Investment in equipment, people and space will continue.
Solopress managing director Simon Cooper says: “Solopress is excited to share that Phil Foster has joined as head of business development. With over 35 years of industry experience and a formidable reputation, he will look to secure new business and maintain our key relationships.
“With his vast experience in our industry, Phil is the perfect fit for this newly created role. Not only will print buyers learn more about how our current catalogue can support their business, but we also hope to identify areas where new products and variations could better meet their needs.”
