The catalogue features more than 1,400 products, 328 of which are new including the extensive range of Blake Purely Packaging, which includes tubes, coloured book wraps, one-touch boxes and specialist packaging for sending high-value items securely.
New additions to the Somerset-headquartered firm’s Premium range include the PostFast range of inkjet and digital print compatible envelopes.
Blake managing director Michael Barter said that envelopes were an important factor in increasing mail engagement, as even a visually striking or luxurious printed brochure or catalogue could be left unopened if it is not delivered in an "interesting looking" envelope.
“There is an opportunity for businesses to add value to what they’re doing by adding an envelope that corresponds to a printed product,” he said.
He added that recipients of mail tend to open more interesting looking envelopes either first, or save them to open last. He said a coloured handwritten envelope, for example, would always make its way through a business and up to its intended recipient more quickly.
The 288pp catalogue includes product information, facts about ordering, customer service details, prices and quick reference indexes.
Barter said the new catalogue had been "honed from years of feedback and improvements" and was "designed to provide all the information our customers need to make informed choices for their customers’ requirements".
Earlier this year Blake won a major retail contract with office supplies firm Staples.
The business has also recently continued to strengthen its relationship with Ricoh, following the announcement in January that its Premium Office, Premium Business, Premium Pure and Premium PostFast envelope ranges are the only ones of their kind in the UK to be endorsed for use in Ricoh digital production printers.
Blake operates a Ricoh 7100SX printer at its premises, which prints in five colours plus white and clear and can produce customer samples and in-house marketing material with special finishes.
The business also now acts as Ricoh’s UK South West regional demonstration centre, enabling the manufacturer to introduce its customers to the benefits of personalised mailings using the digital press.
Blake, which has 54 staff and is anticipating a turnover of £25m this year, has around 7,000sqm warehouse space and 1,580sqm office space.
The business designs and sells more than 2 billion envelopes a year. It currently ships to 18 countries, including Australia, Barbados, Jamaica and a number in Europe.
