THE MERGER BETWEEN THE MAGAZINE PRINTING COMPANY AND STEPHENS & GEORGE PRINT GROUP
In 2016 and at the age of 75 with most of the company’s machinery being old also, but with £5m+ sales of 200 magazine titles Tony Stokes decided to go into semi-retirement and entered into a partnership with Andrew Jones the owner of Stephens & George Print Group, itself 105 years old and this then created the largest magazine printing group within the UK at £30m sales and between them producing close on 1000 magazine titles. This then enabled MPC to continue providing the personal service to its publishers with the huge benefits of utilising S&Gs enormous printing capacity and incredible technology.
The merger has been highly successful and MPC’s customers still have all the benefits of dealing with the same personnel, providing the “customer care” and attention that they have always enjoyed, whilst the ink on paper end of the production process is carried out in S&G’s high tech factory in South Wales.
THE MAGAZINE PRINTING COMPANY HISTORY
The Magazine Printing Company was founded by Tony Stokes and started off life in 1972 initially as The Enfield Printing Company. After three years Tony identified that the sheet-fed short-run specialist magazine market place was not being catered for by any printers and switched the company from general commercial work onto magazines only.
At that time the company’s name was changed to The Magazine Printing Company. The company grew rapidly throughout the 70’s and 80’s moving to larger purpose built premises in 1990. New technology was taken on as soon as it was released on the market place and the company was always at the forefront of the technology changes that were taking place within the printing industry.
STEPHENS & GEORGE PRINT GROUP HISTORY
Stephens & George celebrated their 100th year in the British Printing Industry in 2012.
Located in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales with offices in London and Glasgow. Employing over 230 staff, their area of expertise is sheet-fed lithographic printing of magazines, brochures, catalogues, programmes, event guides and commercial products.
We are a fourth generation, award-winning organisation offering superior quality printing and finishing to our clients. Through our knowledge and continued re-investment in the latest print technology we can produce print to the highest standards every time.
Within our purpose built facility we offer printing, folding, saddle stitching, perfect and PUR binding, mailing and our own fleet of delivery vehicles. Please get in touch to see how we can help you with your printing requirements.