The Cornish company’s business model has been hit by the pound’s decline since the Brexit vote in June, leading to concerns that it could be rendered unviable.
“We have always converted from pounds to dollars, and it’s been 1.50-1.60 for the past few years,” explained managing director Rebecca Jay. “The drop in the value of the pound to 1.20-1.21 is just untenable. It’s a massive drop and there’s also no certainty or confidence about the future value of the pound. I’m not sure we can ride this out.”
Dodo Pad used to print in the UK but moved production to China 15 years ago for cost reasons. “We couldn’t get it printed for less than the price we need to be able to sell it wholesale in the UK,” Jay said.
The Dodo Pad range includes an element of hand finishing for the pouch on the inside back cover, and some specific design elements including a perforated tear-off corner.
Jay praised her Far East suppliers as being “very good”. “They didn’t try to push us into their processes, instead they tried to accommodate the advances we made in our products.”
Other products produced by the quirky heritage brand, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, include calendars and books.
Jay said she had tried unsuccessfully to engage with potential UK suppliers. “When I talk to UK printers about wire binding they say they are only set up for quarter-inch, but our widest product is half an inch, so why can’t I have that? There have to be bigger printers out there who can do this, surely?
“My plea to the UK printing industry is that it needs to get back into producing products. I know for a fact that I’m not the only company looking at UK production again.”
The firm already works with local printer Headland Printers in Penzance on some associated stationery, but Jay said the printer was not geared up to produce its main pad or calendar ranges.
“We have developed a complementary stationery range with them, and anything I can print locally here in Cornwall, I do,” Jay stated.
Jay will need to make a decision on the production of next season’s 2017 products within the three-to-four weeks.
“I just don’t know where we go from here unless we can get certainty on costs and quality and a ‘can do’ mentality,” she added.
The typical run length required is circa 15,000-16,000 of the 128pp pad, which has a board cover and uncoated text pages. The range includes a variety of formats and binding styles.
Can you help? Let PrintWeek know, alternatively Jay can be contacted directly via email on info@dodopad.com.
