Large-format specialist Service Graphics is owned by Grenadier Holdings (formerly Paragon Group) and is part of its Graphic Services division.
Service Graphics acquired the business and assets of Cestrian in November 2023, as PFI Group unravelled.
In January this year there was a change of ownership at the Cheadle site. The new owners intend to operate their own business from the site and served notice to terminate the lease.
In response Service Graphics has secured additional space at Skelmersdale, which it said would more than double the site’s operational footprint.
Managing director Mike Holyoake commented: “We have long held the ambition to expand and further invest in our operations at Skelmersdale. While the sale of the Cheadle site was unexpected, it presents an opportunity to accelerate our longer-term plan for a central production hub in Skelmersdale.”
48 staff work across Cestrian and Image Group. The move will result in a “small number” of redundancies, which Service Graphics said it had tried to mitigate with opportunities to relocate to Skelmersdale, or take up alternative positions within the wider group.
Operations director Stephen Morgan said detailed planning for the transition was underway.
“As a business, we are fortunate to have significant production capabilities in Glasgow, Skelmersdale, Birmingham and London.
“With careful planning and scheduling, we will maintain uninterrupted production as we relocate equipment and personnel to the new unit in Skelmersdale,” he explained.
The new Skelmersdale facility is expected to be fully operational by the end of March, with operations at Cheadle winding down over the next few weeks.
Group sales director Tristan Shaun added: “For many years, Skelmersdale has been a key production hub for our business, renowned for delivering high-quality large-format print for global brands.
“It makes perfect sense to build on the expertise of that team and integrate the Cheadle operations into Skelmersdale.”
Service Graphics remains on the lookout for suitable premises in the Greater Manchester area for its document printing business, as well as to maintain a presence there for the Image Group business.
In its most recent accounts, to 30 June 2024, Service Graphics had sales of £48.3m.
The firm, which employs 319 staff, runs an array of wide-format kit including Durst, EFI Vutek and SwissQprint devices.
