“‘I had a heart attack at the end of July aged 43, and I’m taking August off – not a standard OoO reply,” began Fred Lill, owner and managing director of Lil Packaging in a LinkedIn post addressed to colleagues across the industry last year.

“The dream of retiring early at 55 thanks to 55-plus hours per week of blood, sweat, and tears accelerating my business and career has perhaps taken its toll early, after 20 years.

“I’m ok now and in good spirits, but share my heart attack story in the hope it helps another.”

Lill’s heart attack in late July saw him rushed for an urgent contrast CT scan and angiogram, revealing an 80% blockage of cholesterol plaque in the main artery to his heart, a high cholesterol count, and saw him fitted with a stent to keep his artery open.

Most of the damage, Lill said, was done aged 22-35, when he typically worked weeks of more than 60-65 hours, and sometimes up to 75 hours.

“Sometimes things happen for a reason, as a bit of a wake-up call,” Lill told Printweek.

“I used to joke with some colleagues and customers that I’d drink 10 glasses of water a year – I couldn’t be bothered to go 20 seconds to a water machine and back. I’d skip lunch, too.

“Irrespective of peoples’ job title, it’s something they can relate to. And print is a pretty full-on trade.”

Following a month-long sabbatical to recover, Lill returned to Lil Packaging with a changed view on life, having been “addicted” to chasing sales.

“Life is too short. Whether we make X percent profit, grow or shrink a little bit: it’s all relative – and can so easily be gone. It’s not every day a 43-year-old has a heart attack, right? It just gives you a bit of perspective,” he said.

Inspired by Erik le Fevre, owner of Rotterdam-based Holland Special Packaging, Lill had a 36sqm gym installed at the factory, where employees from across the business mix, socialise, and stay in form.

Le Fevre had installed a padel court – similar to tennis, but played on a compressed court, and easier for beginners – in January 2024 at his own factory. For the past three years, he has been trying to build a healthier working culture at the business, serving free healthy meals and encouraging exercise.

He told Printweek: “I’m addicted to the game myself, and my customers are mostly young people aged 20-40. They get a lot of invitations for golf, I thought they might like an invitation for padel more.

“Our employees play three to four times a week, mostly at the end of the working day, but it’s available to them outside of working hours, too. I find it’s helped create a better atmosphere for employees, and it’s a very good sales instrument too.”

Alongside the gym, Lil Packaging has introduced private healthcare for employees through medical provider Vitality as part of the shift to a health-first culture.

“For those that have needed medical escalation, private waiting list times have been a godsend. It's the best £30,000-ish business decision we've made, which is a pretty good [rate] for 90 staff," Lill said.

Understanding from experience the link between mental and physical health, he has also embarked on a mission to make work at Lil Packaging a more enjoyable communal experience, encouraging staff to mix between teams and taking all 90 employees on quarterly trips.

“We want to create memories, not just be about being a slog to deadlines,” he explained.

The first trip involved taking the team out for a traditional high tea, something that many of the company’s staff had never experienced before.

“We have roughly a third of our staff non-UK nationals. So we have about four or five languages, though most people are fluent in English, so it’s nice to show them something typically British,” he said.

“Even a lot of UK nationals on our team had never done it before, and always wondered what it’s like. So it doesn’t have to be a big expensive thing, but we just want to start creating memories for people of their time here.”

Lill also urged colleagues across the industry to get checked if they saw warning signs of heart trouble: he cited in particular difficulty in physical activity; abnormal, sustained, spikes in heartbeat; heartburn and a “burning plastic” taste when at maximum heart rate; painful, stabbing heartburn, and loss of sensation in the left arm.

Regina Giblin, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, told Printweek that while symptoms varied from person to person, a heart attack requires urgent medical attention – and every minute counts.

“Symptoms can vary from person to person, but the most common signs include pain or discomfort in your chest that happens suddenly and doesn’t go away.

“Other symptoms include pain that spreads to your left or right arm, or to your neck, jaw, back or stomach. For some people, this pain is severe, while for others it can just feel uncomfortable. You may also feel sick, sweaty, light-headed or short of breath. Despite common misconceptions, these symptoms are similar in both men and women.

“Every minute counts, so if you think you or someone else is having symptoms of a heart attack, call 999 immediately. Don’t delay, as getting swift treatment can reduce the amount of serious damage to your heart and could ultimately help to save your life.”

Giblin recommended that if printers feel they are unable to cope with stress, or were worried they might become depressed or anxious, it was time they made an appointment with their GP.

Printers needing practical, emotional or financial support can also contact The Printing Charity’s free, confidential helpline, whether they feel overwhelmed or just need some advice.