The Lancaster-based printer was hit particularly hard by Storm Desmond, after 1.2m of water destroyed almost all of its kit and £9,000 worth of completed work. It had been outsourcing its work while it recovered.
In May, it purchased a secondhand five-colour B2 Komori Lithrone S29, to replace a destroyed four-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 72. Pagefast managing director Keith Simpson said the Komori will give them more automation than the Speedmaster.
The Komori printed its first job on June 6 and after a bedding-in period started running at full capacity on June 20.
Simpson said: “We knew it wouldn’t be an overnight thing but I must admit I’d have thought we would have put ink on paper before June 6 so it has taken a little longer than we thought.
“But we’ve got there in the end and the main thing is we’ve kept everybody on and kept the thing going and I suppose I can take some pleasure and pride in that.”
The Komori S29 has automation for what Komori refers to as the “world’s shortest makeready”. It has a maximum speed of 16,000sph and takes a maximum sheet size of 530x750mm.
A Heidelberg Platen, SORM and Cylinder were also all destroyed in the flood and have yet to be replaced.
All of Pagefast’s 11 staff were kept on during the period. They spent the first month after the flood cleaning and then assisted with outsourcing, costing, estimating and finishing.
Most of its outsourced work was sent to Bolton-based Shanley, and Kendal-based MTP Media and Kent Valley Printers.
“We farmed some work out and in effect we couldn’t have done it without them, the plan of rebuilding wouldn’t have been possible, we couldn’t have contemplated it without their support,” added Simpson.
Simpson, 67, said the business will be able to recoup approximately 85% of the loss, as it was hit by a 10% flood penalty and 5% will be paid to a hired loss assessor.
He said: “I would say the best decision I made was to employ a loss assessor. Although I paid him a significant amount of money, I think the insurers would have been much tougher on me than they were.
“It’s a bit like I’d have been in the Vauxhall Conference trying to play in the Premier League, loss assessors are talking to loss adjustors all the time and they can put the claim in the right way, which makes sure you get a fair payout.”
Having fallen short of projected turnover for this year by approximately £100,000, Simpson feels the increased automation offered by the Lithrone and the retention of key customers means turnover will be back to the £700,000-800,000-projected levels by the end of next year.
Just two months before Storm Desmond, Pagefast bought a new Horizon SPF/FC-200L bookletmaker, to "futureproof its business". It wasn't damaged in the flood.
According to accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), Storm Desmond, which struck Cumbria, parts of Lancashire and the Scottish borders, caused an estimated £500m worth of damage.
Pagefast’s first ever client, the British Microlight Aircraft Association (BMAA), sent Simpson and his staff a bottle of champagne to celebrate its return to full production.
