COMMERCIAL PRINTER
Simon Reed, business development manager, Positive Images
"I definitely think now is a good time to diversify. We offer a wide range of services here and I think it is more difficult now to succeed by just offering the one thing. By having a presence in different areas, be that litho or digital, pre-press or finishing, that foothold means you are not dependent on one area for business.It also means that we can utilise staff in different areas of the company and as a result, always have work flowing through the factory."

COMMERCIAL PRINTER
Richard Good, managing director, BCQ Group
"Being able to diversify is an important part of the strategy at BCQ. We seek to understand the needs and expectations of our clients and wherever possible exceed them. We are a communications company and offer full web-to-print, variable data digital solutions; data management; digital asset management; website design and hosting; iPhone apps; online yearbooks; and wide-format. To succeed printers must find other ways of supplying their clients in a proper and profitable manner in the same way that paper merchants have taken to supplying inks and chemicals."

PACKAGING & POS PRINTER
Mick Tooley, chief executive, Visual Communications Group
"There is never a bad time to consider diversification. However, the key consideration should be whether there is sufficient market longevity for the new service. You need to consider whether or not your company has the skills to manage the diversification without negatively impacting on existing services and client relationships and, crucially, ensure the new venture represents sufficient financial potential to make the investment worthwhile. If you are in a shrinking market then the risk appetite should be greater than if you are simply reviewing growth opportunities. Either way, firms cannot afford to stand still."

PAPER MERCHANT
Paul French, managing director Robert Horne
"It is logical and makes business sense to always look at developing existing customer relationships and seeing what additional services you could be offering. As an example, diversifying into digital wide-format would increase printers’ opportunities with existing customers. The cost of entry into wide-format is relatively low and will not require onerous amounts of training. In our experience, customers who have embraced change and taken this path have quickly realised there are a wealth of new opportunities from their existing customer base. Offering new services keeps you relevant to your current customers while also attracting new accounts."