Print Monthly

Never standing still

When I first met Mike Beese, director of specialist print manufacturing business DecTek, at print finishing manufacturer Duplo’s Celebration of Print 2022 (COP22) event, I was taken in by his friendly and charismatic nature. When speaking to Beese about the growth of his company over the past 20 years, a key theme that cropped up more than once was forming strong relationships and friendships within the industry.

Judging by Beese’s unwavering excitement and enthusiasm for all things print, it’s not hard to see how DecTek has become a well known and successful print business amongst consumers and suppliers alike.

The Willy Wonka of print

The story begins almost two decades ago in South Wales with what Beese himself describes as “a mad dream to start working with myself and my beliefs”. The director began by producing resin domed badges for the trophy industry, and then for the computer industry. He brought on a sales member within four weeks and in his first day, the new recruit had acquired 60 orders. With this, Beese began looking for a factory and shortly after he had secured a unit. The business has since grown from that first staff member to a team of 30 highly skilled professionals.

“Today, we would describe ourselves as the Willy Wonka of the print industry,” Beese explains. “We print all matter of substrates. To be honest, I missed the small-format trick and now we’re heavily immersed in that. We print everything from dome badges, name badges, labels, signage, floor graphics, textiles, metals, wood products, point-of-sale products, business stationary, and we are also a fulfilment print company.

“We’ve just started a project where we’re printing over 200 mugs an hour with one individual and a robot mug press. We are also producing banners 3m wide by 100m long. From the banners, we’ve brought in the welding equipment so we’re also now looking at supporting other industries.”

According to Beese, the company’s demand is currently coming from instant reactions and as a result DecTek has become a digital response unit with its ‘digital toolbox’ described by Beese as one of the most well-equipped in the UK.

When producing small-format work DecTek puts a key focus on added embellishments such as foiling and embossing to enable customers and brands to offer more and stand out from their competitors.

For the signage industry, DecTek offers print services to sign companies and installers using its Canon Arizona which handles large sheets up to 3m long and 2m wide. The company offers a full range of sign-making materials and can partner with customers to become their manufacturing back-end. DecTek also offers 3D lettering in a range of substrates and has laser cutting facilities.

Providing such a broad range of services could come with a range of logistical challenges but with an ethos of ‘right first time, on time, every time’, DecTek’s focus is firmly on quality of production, performance, and environment.

 
“The culmination of this is a first-class experience for our partners and in turn their clients,” Beese says, adding: “Uniquely our niche is in short and ultra-short run providing access to premium print for small and emerging brands. As an example, we will produce box runs starting at just ten pieces. Yes, you read that right.”

 
One company DecTek has built a strong relationship with over the years is Duplo. At the manufacturer’s COP22 event earlier in the year, Beese described to me how when his relationship with the manufacturer began, despite acknowledging that the product range before him was impressive, he felt it wasn’t for him, it wasn’t what he understood, and he didn’t see potential in it. However, this changed dramatically and Beese explains how he quickly became immersed in the potential of print finishing kit.

“We had what I would call an expedition down to Duplo, and I was so impressed that I bought three or four different pieces of kit. From that we’re now looking at new opportunities and understanding the market, understanding the product, and have a wonderful and supportive relationship.

“Duplo has become a big part of my life and I feel that the growth that we’re experiencing from it's product range has given me a massive explosion of our own product range.”

It is from this growth that DecTek launched a sister company called Big Bang Print which Beese describes as “explosive in the small-format range”. The two companies support each other and from this, are bringing on a whole different client base, a whole new knowledge base, and whole new friendships.

A big part of Duplo’s kit is its automation and this is something DecTek has benefitted from. Describing his experience with this, Beese says: “The key word is simplicity, and the automation is simplistic. All the organics of the machine, all the software, it’s all integral and it’s all the same base. So, once you know one machine then generally, you know the next machine.

“I sit in amazement by the machines and everyday I’m bemused by the new products coming out and think ‘I didn’t sell that product. I didn’t know we were going to invest in that product’. But the machines are highly capable, they’re maintained well, and the technology is just fail-safe.”

Beese adds: “We’re in a race for growth, so you have to become a finishing specialist. But we’re realising it’s very hard to bring people in and get new people on board, as well as to retain people. However, some of our machines here will do the output of three-to-four people, so we see that as a great advantage and we’re looking forward to the technology and now higher volume output.”

 
On the subject of retaining staff and the past 18 months posed a very real threat to many businesses with the Covid-19 pandemic. For DecTek, this even saw family members pull together to ensure the business kept on pushing forward.

 
“In the beginning, the pandemic as with everyone was very cruel. It was very, very difficult. But it gave me time to sit down and reflect on what I wanted to do and to look at the great opportunities. We sought out those opportunities and formed alliances with competitors, collaborated with suppliers, and in fact we are actually now supplying to suppliers which is a great avenue for us.

“In that then were shortages of staff but my family members were very supportive and I had four members of the family come on board and they have now taken over particular departments and are growing the business.

“My wife also became involved in the business and has grown it. So my friends and family were very supportive, but we also made friends within the industry. Looking back, the pandemic was quite good to us in the end.”

This ability to seek out opportunity in the face of adversity is something Beese is most proud of when it comes to the running of the business. “The growth of the business has continued unchecked despite the most challenging trading period since WWII,” he says. “This is down to an unwavering determination to succeed and being supported by one of the best teams in the industry. In this I include suppliers who without their support, none of this would be possible.”

Well on its way in the race for growth, the company has built a customer portfolio in excess of 7,000 diverse businesses. This range of companies includes print management, brokers, corporate gift resellers, office supplies, print shops, sign-makers, creative agencies, and more. “We have become known as the ‘A Team’ of print,” Beese says.

When quizzed on the company’s plans for the future, unsurprisingly Beese’s reply is “DecTek never stands still”. The business has a five-year growth plan which is already in progress and its aim is to become a one-stop-shop specialist print manufacturing business for trade partners.

“We are along the way to achieving this and with continued investment we will realise this ambitious goal,” Beese concludes.