1979 Printing machine (Hawes)
EADT 1 March 1979
£125,000 revolution for Elmswell firm
Family print works all set to make a big impression
THE TINY village of Elmswell, which lies about a mile off the A45 Ipswich to Bury St Edmunds road, has had a printing works in its midst for four generations, but not many people knew this outside the immediate area — until now.
But a complicated piece of machinery costing £125,000 is about to change this image and put printers, W. W. Hawes. well and truly on the map, particularly in the European exports field. Managing director, Mr David Hawes, who still lives in the 19th Century family house next door to the works, says the machine, a Heidelberg Speedmaster four-colour offset press, is the company’s biggest single investment to date and will, he hopes, put them on a much higher bargaining basis for some of the lucrative printing orders in Europe.
The machine, in simple terms, can print leaflets, brochures ond other products in four colours simultaneously and it is, according to Mr, Hawes, the first of its kind in East Anglia. “This machine enables us to produce much more precise work than in the past, and the quality is virtually guaranteed,” he said. “One big advantage is that you can see the finished result almost immediately.” He adds that the new machine is also more economical and can produce the finished product in half the time. The company currently employs a staff of 35 and Mr Hawes is hopeful that, with increased business, he will be able to take on more staff in the next year.
