Blue Sky Printing’s journey began in 2015 when co-founders James Callaghan and Jon Webb spotted a gap in the market for high-quality, customer-focused printing.
Their first test was a pop-up stall in The Meadows Shopping Centre in Chelmsford, which quickly gained attention. After an accidental power cut forced them to relocate within the shopping centre, they took the opportunity to set up a small shop.
By 2017, the pair had expanded with a second site in Colchester, and in early 2024, they opened a third location – London Film Lab – near Brick Lane in the city, catering to the growing demand for film photography.
Now, with further expansion in mind, the business is looking for its next location, likely also to be in East London, with an expanded presence planned at its next shop that combines both its Blue Sky Printing and London Film Lab brands in one place.
The business, which offers services including Chromaluxe aluminium prints, fine art Giclée printing, and high-end business printing, recently surpassed 200,000 completed orders.
“That’s 200,000 times customers have chosen to trust us with their printing needs. It’s incredible to think about how many people and businesses we’ve been able to help over the years, and we’re so grateful for every single one,” said Callaghan.
Running mostly kit from Epson across its sites, as well as an HP Latex printer, 10-staff Blue Sky Printing also has an approved print provider partnership with fine art paper manufacturer Hahnemühle.
Beyond printing, the business said it has always looked for ways to support the community. In 2020, it launched the Essex Photography Prize, a competition designed to highlight and celebrate local talent.
It has also provided free printing services to Havens Hospice, supported food banks and homeless charities, and sponsored Colchester Kings, East Anglia’s first inclusive rugby team.
During the Covid-19 lockdowns, when hospitals were struggling to source scrubs, the company helped volunteer groups by printing over 8,000 scrub patterns, sometimes working through the night and sleeping in the shop to keep up with demand.
More recently, its fine art printing expertise has led to high-profile projects, including producing 6,000 limited-edition prints for Björk and working with original Salvador Dalí artworks.
To thank its customers, Blue Sky Printing is celebrating its 10-year milestone throughout March with a ‘Pass the Parcel’ giveaway. Customers who spend £10 or more will get the chance to ‘unwrap’ a layer of prizes, ranging from free prints to the grand prize; a 600x800mm Chromaluxe aluminium print worth £190. It also plans to hold a party for staff to mark the occasion.
“This milestone means so much to us. We’ve grown year after year, and that’s entirely down to the support of our amazing customers and the dedication of our team,” said Callaghan.
“Our staff work so hard to make sure every order is perfect, and we wouldn’t be where we are without them.”
Blue Sky Printing is on target to turn over £900,000 this year.
Webb told Printweek: “We literally had nothing when we opened, and begged the bank for a £1,000 overdraft just so we could buy some paint to paint the walls – we’ve been just as surprised [at the company’s growth] as everyone else.”
He added the company’s aim for the next 10 years would be to grow in the right way, with more locations – two or three shops each year in and around London “and just really building a bit of a name for ourselves, and making sure we keep that same passion and attention to detail that got us here in the first place”.
