A Belfast digital printing firm has been named the 2023 UK ‘Company of the Year’ at a London awards ceremony.
Northside Graphics, which operates DigitalPrinting.co.uk, was awarded the accolade at the Printweek Awards 2023 on the back of record growth which saw it increase sales by 47% and net profit by almost 70% in a single year. The firm said it has also increased its headcount by 70% over the past 12 months, with around a third of new hires being apprentices.
Northside, which was previously named ‘SME of the Year’ at the Printweek Awards in 2017, is the only company from Northern Ireland ever to be shortlisted for, or win, the UK wide ‘Company of the Year’ award.
The judges said Northside's sales and profit boost made it stand out from the competition, while founder Gary White attributed the success to the firm's team.
“Our team is absolutely incredible, and, without them, we simply could never have achieved this,” he said. “Everything they do is about putting the customer first and the quality of print they produce makes us proud every day.”
In June 2021, the company launched its specialist Northside Graphics Training Academy, intended to offer entry-level opportunities for young talent seeking to gain skills in the printing industry. Since then, nine full-time apprenticeships have been offered to candidates aged 16-24 in conjunction with Belfast Met, with training delivered on Northside’s premises.
“Around a third of our new hires over the past year have been apprentices, all of whom have brought so much to Northside and who, in turn, have been equipped with the core skills required to enjoy sustainable employment in our industry for many years to come," Mr White said. "We are passionate about our industry and are committed to doing everything we can to pave the way for its future with a pipeline of young, ambitious talent.”
Over the past 18 months Northside said it has invested over £1million in automation and the development of improved production management software to further enhance production efficiency and reduce waste, together with continued investment in the growth and development of its eCommerce offering.
