Park Communications was acquired by €123m turnover Ghent-headquartered Graphius Group in the summer of 2022, and the Geoff Neal deal marks its second UK buy.

Geoff Neal founded his eponymous printing business in 1976.

Neal retired in 2016 and today the £10.8m turnover company is helmed by his son, Sam Neal, who became managing director in 2005 and subsequently CEO.

Geoff Neal, which trades as Geoff Neal Printworks, is located in Feltham near Heathrow Airport; while Park Communications is on the opposite side of the capital, in Beckton close to City Airport.

Both firms specialise in high-end print production with a strong sustainability ethos. Each will retain their existing locations and leadership teams.

Park Communications had sales of £15.5m in the year to 31 December 2023. The business is run by managing director Alison Branch and CEO Heath Mason.

Mason told Printweek: “When Graphius bought us we could see that the industry really did need consolidation, and being together in a partnership where you can benefit from each other’s strengths and that’s how we see it still.

“This industry needs to be able to help each other more than it does, and not fight each other as much as it does,” he stated.

“We’ve long admired what Geoff created in the first place and what Sam has taken on – it couldn’t be a better fit from a client point-of-view and from a cultural synergy point of view, and in quality work type.”

Branch added: “When we looked at the potential companies to acquire, Geoff Neal and Sam were top of the list.”

Geoff Neal’s equipment park at its 2,045sqm site includes a five-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106 with coater, Xerox Iridesse digital press and a variety of post-press equipment.

Neal said he had been looking for the right partner to take the business forward for a while: “Choosing the right partner is critical, and that’s what this opportunity has provided. I’m very excited about what we can achieve going forwards together.

“The whole point is it’s harmonious and it makes sense.”

Park’s 4,366sqm facility is home to two B1 sheetfed presses, including a 21,000sph Drupa-spec Speedmaster XL 106 installed just three months ago. Its digital department includes B2 and B3 HP Indigo presses, while its extensive post-press offering includes an 18-station Kolbus PUR binder.

One of Park’s key markets is report and accounts, and the multi-Printweek Award winner’s additional services include typesetting and artworking, and mailing and logistics.

Geoff Neal has also won multiple Printweek Awards, including for direct mail and customer service.

Mason also noted that there was very little crossover in terms of clients, “and the sales team will be very happy to hear that”.

“It’s a lovely broadening of our client base, and a broadening of our offering to that client base.”

Branch said that Park had “definitely” benefited from the Graphius ownership in terms of navigating post-Brexit red tape, and having access to its continental operations.

“We’ve had coming up to two-and-a-half years now of learning about Graphius and the benefits of how we work with them, and the benefits to our clients of having that wider offering. We hope to pass that on pretty quickly to Sam and his team,” Mason added.

Neal cited a number of immediate benefits, such as access to Park’s in-house sewing, PUR binding and case-binding capabilities, including for long-run casebound books; economies of scale for purchasing; group backing for innovation and investment; and the option to print locally in Europe.

Family-owned Graphius has seven plants on the continent including two packaging specialists.

The deal completed yesterday (30 October). The terms were not disclosed.

Separately, Matthew Cummins joined Park as managing director designate this month as part of succession planning for the retirement of Mason and Branch, who plan to step back in summer 2025 after a handover period.

The duo founded Park in 1989.

Cummins has worked in the industry for nearly 30 years, and was most recently operations director at Elle Media Group. Prior to that he held senior roles at Pureprint Group.