Rotherham-based Bluetree, the parent company of Route One Print and Instantprint, was named Large Business of the Year at the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce annual business awards last Thursday (29 November).

The digital print group was also among the "ones to watch" in the Printing Solutions category for 2019 in the SME News’ annual Business Elite awards. The recognition chimed with Bluetree staff, as the firm prepares to kick off a number of moves forward in 2019, including a 45% extension of its floorspace and the introduction of the UK’s first Landa S10P Nanographic printing press.

Mark Young, head of subsidiary Route One, said: “We are a forward-thinking company, especially looking at the investments we have made and how this supports the business. We pride ourselves on innovation, from our latest equipment to our optimised workflow processes.

“I hope these awards send the message to clients that we pride ourselves on delivering the best possible quality of work to our customers. This shows that we can deliver that. We also hope it shows our commitment to work with our clients and revolutionise the industry.

“It has absolutely been a successful year. At every achievement, we think bigger and how we could offer more to our clients such as introducing new stocks and making their lives easier through a more streamlined website. While we have had a great year full of different opportunities and challenges, we still want to be the supplier our clients demand from us and we will consistently shape ourselves in order to deliver that quality service.”

The past five years have seen Bluetree Group invest £20m in the growth and expansion of its business, which included the creation of more than 60 new jobs. For 2018, it has a projected turnover of £42m.

Starting in late 2019, the firm will undertake a “significant” recruitment initiative to add to its 350 staff. Its new B1 Landa machine is set to arrive in the early part of the year.