Greg Ralph was one of the original ‘gang of three’ who set up the Southend-on-Sea business alongside Aron Priest and Andy Smith.

He takes over from Sarah Kilcoyne who left at the end of last year and will report to Solopress CEO Simon Cooper.

Cooper’s remit was expanded to include parent group Onlineprinters’ European online business last summer.

Ralph stepped back from Solopress in 2012 and went on to be involved with a wide range of interests in other business areas, including e-commerce and property development.

Solopress said he had gained a broad perspective across business strategy, digital transformation and customer experience as a result.

Cooper commented: "Greg’s return is a major asset to Solopress. As a founder, he knows the business inside out, and his experience since then brings fresh insight at a time when we’re driving forward with ambitious plans.

“His leadership will be key in strengthening our customer offering and continuing our growth in the UK market.”

Ralph said it was “fantastic” to be back.

“The business has grown enormously since I was last here, and I’m excited to contribute to the next phase of its success.

“Brand Central in particular is an area where I can see an immense potential to add value to our offering. With a strong team, cutting-edge technology and a commitment to exceptional service, we have a great opportunity to build on Solopress’ reputation as a leader in online print.”

Brand Central is a bespoke print ordering portal that allows customers to control their print spend and the type of products purchased.

Solopress had sales of £35.5m in 2023 and employs around 230. The firm was tracking for sales of £40m in 2024 and Cooper has a £60m turnover target in his sights for 2026.