Founder John William Northend established the Sheffield business as JW Northend in 1889.
The success of his enterprise allowed him to invest in the construction of a new purpose-built building on West Street, which the company moved into in 1914 and continued to occupy until 1988, when it moved to its current modern premises in an industrial area to the south of the city.
The original stone ‘JWN’ plaque from the West Street building was also relocated to the new factory.
In April 2019 the business began a new chapter when it merged with local print firm My Print Partners to create a full service print house.
It is now co-owned by managing director Nigel Stubley, sales director Ian McCloskey and production director Richard Green.
Northend celebrated the anniversary last Friday (6 September) with staff past and present, customers and stakeholders in attendance.
Cutting the celebratory cake, decorated in the firm’s trademark Pantone 159 orange and black colourway, Stubley said: “The building that we’re in was Northend’s factory for 75 years.
“The only reason we’ve been going for 135 years is because we’ve had this set of people called customers – so I want to say thank-you very much to all of them – we’re only here because of you.”
The firm has printed a celebratory casebound book to mark the occasion, detailing world events alongside key moments from Northend’s own journey over the decades.
The book was designed by local agency Pavement Creative.
It includes gems such as the elegant programme designed by Mr WF Northend to mark a visit to Sheffield by the Prince and Princess of Wales in April 1909; and the firm’s production of the seminal Printing Types type specimen book for Stephenson, Blake & Co in 1924.
Northend has a number of long-serving staff including four who worked at the original building prior to the 1988 move: production team leader Steve Heald, Peter Wright procurement and facilities controller, post-press team leader John Marples, and despatch assistant Julie Eaton.
It also has many long-serving clients and has been printing Bradbury's Book of Hallmarks for Sheffield Assay Office for nearly 100 years.
The company provides a raft of in-house services spanning litho, small- and large-format digital, post-press, as well as other complementary services including pick, pack and dispatch.
Northend has turnover of around £4m and employs 35 full-time and five part-time staff.
The firm is the subject of '60 seconds with' in the latest issue of Printweek magazine.
