However, as Sinclair Robertson, managing director of Orkney Media Group (OMG), points out, it’s actually not that far away. “People’s perception of where we are is not accurate. Admittedly, we do have sheep grazing outside the office, but that’s because we own the field.”

Joking aside, Robertson is at pains to point out that Orkney is not as remote as it is perhaps perceived to be. Based in the islands’ capital, Kirkwall, OMG is a mere 45-minute flight from Aberdeen, not much further from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness, and is served by six ferries a day, with a catamaran service due to launch this summer. Besides, Robertson and his team see their ‘separation’ as an opportunity, rather than a handicap.

The group was set up in May 2007 following a merger between venerable local newspaper, The Orcadian, and a much more recent arrival on the islands’ newsstands, Orkney Today. The Orcadian was founded in 1854 by James Urquhart Anderson, an ancestor of the current editor, and director of Orkney Media Group, James Miller. In addition to publishing the newspaper, the company portfolio included commercial printing, book publishing and selling, and other retail services. Orkney Today, Orkney’s first new weekly newspaper in 42 years, was set up in 2003 by S&J Robertson Group, the Robertson family’s business. The papers share a publication day, but do not compete. Most Orcadians buy both and between them they sell almost 18,000 issues a week – largely to a local population of just 20,000.

Nine months on from the merger, redundancies have been avoided, and the print side of the new company has shown real growth.

The group has begun bringing work back in-house – Robertson is particularly proud that in December 2007, Orkney Today was printed on the islands for the first time.

He admits that they may have to change some products slightly in order to bring them fully in-house, but is prepared to do so.

OMG has already invested £1.5m in new equipment, including a Heidelberg Suprasetter S105 thermal platesetter and a B2 five-colour Speedmaster CD74, referred to by Robertson as “the best on the planet for quality and reliability”. IT system upgrades are also in the pipeline.

In addition to printing the two newspapers, the group prints everything from glossy brochures for the high-end hotel sector to tickets for the local raffle.

Robertson says that is exactly what they want to keep on doing, but in larger quantities. The group also intends to build on its mainland UK client base, and plans to appoint a strategic sales person for projects outside Orkney.

Despite occasional ferry problems and stormy weather, Robertson insists that the company’s location is actually a benefit. He cites lower operating costs and access to a young, enthusiastic workforce as examples of this.

Bringing business back in-house has cut transport-related difficulties for the group and having to bring in extra staff to unpack copies of Orkney Today when the ferry docks late is now a thing of the past.

Robertson acknowledges that the print market is a particularly competitive one, but he pledges that the company will continue to invest and expand, using its Orkney base to its advantage.

As Miller underlines: “We are a forward-looking and progressive company. Geography is insignificant.”

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Orkney Media at a glance

Established 2007
Located Kirkwall, Orkney
Staff 60-70
Turnover £3.25m
Sectors newspaper publishing, general commercial printing