The Ordnance Survey is in full ownership of its map production, 15 years after outsourcing production to Butler & Tanner Dennis and then to Dennis Maps. It had acquired 25% of the shares in 2015 and now ten years later has stepped in to acquire the remainder after the Felix Dennis Estate wanted to wind itself up, hence the need to sell the shares.
The original sale came in 2010 after the Ordnance Survey moved from its original premises and needed to move the six-colour KBA Rapida 162a that had been used to print its maps. The press moved to the book printer’s premises in the centre of Frome and when that collapsed in 2015, to a new factory close to the town. It will not be moving again.
Nor will there be any change of name from Dennis Maps. As the last dedicated UK map printer Dennis Maps prints for other publishers, notably Harvey Maps, using either the litho press or its Colorwave inkjet and HP PageWide inkjet presses.
Dennis Maps managing director Steve Burry says: “It’s very much business as usual. Our commitment to supporting all of our customers remains unchanged, and we’re excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. We’ve built a strong and collaborative relationship with Ordnance Survey over the years, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with them supplying high quality paper map products and helping to develop OS’s paper map products for the future.”
And paper maps remain popular. In a recent survey for National Map Reading Week, 43% said they owned one or two paper maps with 58% claiming to keep them for future use, 27% keep them as souvenirs and 14% collect maps as a hobby. OS Maps managing director Nick Giles says: “Maps have always been more than just tools for navigation. Not only do they look beautiful and intriguing when hung on a wall, but they are also gateways to adventure, discovery, and connection with the world around us.”
The most popular OS Maps, covering the Lake District say, can need a print run of 20,000. The average is below 2,000 copies while others require only 500 copies a time. The maps for the UK’s national parks remain the top sellers says Burry.
