APG to restructure business

Alderson Print Group (APG) is in the process of a major restructure of its businesses, following the departure of a number of key figures.

Joint managing director Andrew Campbell and sales director Phil Blackwell, among others, left the business in July with Amanda Syson becoming sole managing director.

Since then the management team has re-organised the business, with individual divisions being consolidated.

Syson told PrintWeek that there could be some redundancies in areas where there were crossovers.

However, she added that ultimately the company expected the change to lead to the creation of jobs at the 250-staff business.

Last year APG recorded a pre-tax loss of £2.3m on a turnover of £28m. However, Syson told PrintWeek that £2.26m of the loss was due to the revaluation of properties owned by the business.

She said: "We have five autonomously run companies – sheetfed, point of sale, web, digital and finishing – that are run separately. But the group needs to change, we are looking at innovation and cross media, not just print.

"Once we are done with this reorganisation we will look into new business. Print will still be a massive offering, but we want areas to complement that."

Syson also said that APG was in the process of completing investment in a start-up business that would be announced "in the very near future".

In order to evaluate the cost-base of the business, employees' overtime rates have been temporarily dropped to the flat rate of pay, Syson said.

Although she added: "Some employees have actually received pay increases as part of the review and we want our staff to become cross-skilled, not just pigeon-holed into one area.

Syson said that within the plan, some key members have already moved into place. These include operations director Paul Abraham, who has five heads of business reporting into him, head of sales Mark Vincent, Phill Watts as head of client services and head of innovation Neil Alderson.

The company is now in the process of recruiting a business development director among other positions.

Syson concluded: "Peter and Ron still remain an integral part of the business and the very heart of it. With all of the proposed changes we have not lost sight of our heritage, incredible experience and their standing in the industry. They are 100% committed to moving their group forward."