Repro as a standalone service was rapidly changing at the time. “I felt there were more opportunities in print finishing so I flew home and gave it a go.” Cliftons moved into perfect binding with the purchase of Books a Bound in 2005 “and the rest is history”.

Where are you based?

Originally in Tottenham now, for the past 21 years, in sunny Walthamstow, London E17

How many staff do you have?

14 awesome hard-working team players! Sadly the mess of Covid has reduced us from 18

What does your firm do?

PUR perfect binding, case binding, layflat binding, sewn and drawn on, OTA binding, foil blocking, die-cutting – and we make paper drinking straws

What’s your typical customer?

70% are commercial printers and the rest are made up of advertising and design agencies, property companies for high-end brochures and publishing houses. And now food and beverage wholesalers

Which geographic areas do you serve?

More and more we are seeing our customer base expanding nationally

What’s your USP?

We can now manufacture paper drinking straws! See www.paperstrawslondon.com

What’s your company’s motto?

‘No problem’

What equipment do you run?

We have a Muller Martini Pantera binder, a Kisun lay-flat digital binder, Aster sewing machine, Perfecta guillotines, Heidelberg Stahl and Horizon folders, and the MXC100 paper straw manufacturing lines

What’s been your proudest achievement in the past few years?

Setting up the paper straw side to give the main business more longevity

Where do you see your business in five years’ time?

Sadly, the crystal ball was smashed in March with the onset of Covid!

What’s your team’s favourite biscuit?

Those little rocky road bites