Barnwell Print is a fourth generation family business owned by brothers Lincoln and Julian Barnwell.
Charles Henry Barnwell, who had been printing in Hull, moved to Norfolk and purchased an existing printing business back in 1908, with the company renamed and run by generations of Barnwells since.
Joint managing director Julian Barnwell told Printweek that having made it through Covid-19, the subsequent energy price crisis had hit the firm’s cashflow. The brothers also stopped taking their own wages.
He said: “Coming out of the pandemic with lower sales, entering a period of higher costs with an energy crisis and still trying to operate in a very competitive market with reduced margins, has sadly proved to be too much.”
He said Micropress – also a family business run by two brothers – was “an excellent fit” thanks to its modern equipment, environmental credentials and strong position in the market.
“Up until now, they were one of our biggest competitors, so we know how good they are,” he added.
Micropress joint managing director Rob Cross said there were numerous synergies between the two firms.
“We are excited to welcome Barnwell Print customers to the Micropress family. As a carbon-balanced printer, we share a commitment to delivering high-quality, sustainable print solutions, exceptional customer service, and competitive pricing. We look forward to serving Barnwell’s customers and building strong, lasting partnerships.”
Cross said the goal was to offer a seamless transition to customers.
Micropress has taken on customer service and estimating specialist Richard Pryor, who will work alongside the Barnwell brothers from the Barnwell Print facility in Aylsham to service the firm’s customer base, which includes magazine and book publishers and local tourism clients.
The satellite office also gives Reydon, Suffolk-based Micropress a presence in Norfolk that the firm intends to expand upon in the future.
The sites will be linked through the Micropress print production systems and MIS, giving Barnwell Print customers more real time information on their orders.
The 1,115sqm Barnwell Print unit, which is owned separately by the Barnwell brothers, is currently up for rent.
The firm’s equipment, including its SRA1 Komori H-UV litho press, is being sold.
Julian Barnwell said that after calling in administrators from Larking Gowan to handle a creditors’ voluntary liquidation, the expectation was that all creditors would be paid.
Lincoln Barnwell commented: “On behalf of Julian and myself, I would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the employees of Barnwell Print Ltd, both present and past, for their unwavering support of the business over the years.
“Their dedication and hard work have been the backbone of the company's longevity and success. We are also very appreciative of our long standing and loyal customers and suppliers.”
Barnwell Print had employed 10. Three have decided to retire and there is the potential that further roles could become available at Micropress.
Micropress, Printweek’s Company of the Year in 2022, employs nearly 200 staff and had sales of around £30m last year.
Cross said the firm, which recently completed a major solar energy investment, was currently “very busy”.
The Barnwell brothers made national news headlines in the summer of 2022 when they were lauded for their pivotal roles in finding and identifying a 17th century shipwreck – the Gloucester – that was described as the most important maritime discovery since the Mary Rose.
