Friday marked the end of an era for Print Image Network Ltd and UK Engage as this was the last working day of Steve Power one of our Co-founders, as he begins his well-deserved retirement after 24 years with the business.
John Foster and Steve formed Print Image Network Limited on 6th June 2000 although they (and Pauline) had worked together at a previous Company for the 10 years prior.
The trio have achieved so much over the last 24 years, from humble beginnings, to the twenty plus team you speak with regularly today.
John provides some insight on the Print Image Network Ltd backstory and how the business has evolved over the years:
“For our first office, we hired a small room in an old Mill in Reddish.
The Mill served its purpose and we gradually expanded; renting more rooms and knocking through as time went by before we bought Image House in Stockport.
We always wanted to get into the more technical side of printing and mailing and developed a few niches over the years and now ….. Time marches on and here we are, one of the leading providers of Electoral Services in the Country.
We have noticed that over the years business methodology has changed considerably. In the beginning we rang people up asked them for an order, placed an order, delivered, and invoiced. Not now … there are so many more compliance and administration duties a business must undertake.
But during all these transitions we have worked together well, taking on different responsibilities as times change.
Different people but we’ve always had the customer and everybody we work with in mind 100% of the time. This common goal of excellence has been key to success. Doing things “right” in my experience, does indeed work well for all concerned. All through these later years this constant desire to be the best has been taken on by everybody who works here; and this support is 100% crucial to everything the Company has achieved.
At the beginning of our Electoral work business, we designed a new style of postal vote pack which won a National award for “Innovation and Creativity”.
On the back of this award, we marketed the product and won one initial customer and then more and more. Until after a few years I can still remember the time when we managed to arrange a meeting at one of the largest Councils in the Country. The meeting went well and we won their work … it was then quite a challenge to deliver the requirements.
We are proud to be members of several affiliated organisations not least the AEA and regularly attend their meetings and conferences.
We are regularly consulted by the relevant Government Departments and are proud of our efforts to help deliver democracy.
Whilst being one of the largest providers of printed electoral material we are concurrently one of the leading organisations supplying digital voting methods.
Linked in with this aspect is our work in running AGM processes for clients and helping all sorts of disparate organisations to help deliver their own electoral needs.
As Steve looks forward to enjoying a relaxing G&T on various beaches, he leaves one final message for the team:
“60% of my working life has been spent in this business and I have enjoyed every second of it. 85% of my working life has been alongside my two most valuable colleagues, Pauline and John without whose input and support, Print Image Network would not be what it is today. The greatest percentage of our staff are long serving, and all employees possess that special something that ensures Print Image Network will go on to even bigger and better things in the future. I have enjoyed every minute working alongside all my colleagues, I will miss you but have every faith that you will continue to succeed as individuals and as a team.”