Five decades of innovation
Founded in 1969, Hobs Repro first cut its tooth by providing print services for architects, construction companies, and engineers in the Liverpool area with only five employees making up the team.
Over the last five decades, the company has certainly evolved and grown in both size and in terms of its offerings. Today, Hobs is made up of 160 staff members across over 21 branches throughout the UK.
With innovation at the core of the business’ operations, the company also comprises Visual Communication Hubs for large-format printing, an Exchange Hub for scanning and archiving needs, and a Hobs 3D division as well as its Group and Head Office premises.
Craig Horwood, group managing director of Hobs explains how the company’s family-founded roots can still be felt in today’s running of the business with the core values echoing a family-like feel. These are: Doing the Right Thing, Innovation, Passion, Quality, and Teamwork.
“Hobs has always strived to be innovative, after all we’ve been at the forefront of print technology since 1969,” Horwood says. This notion of being ahead of the technology curve is demonstrated in the fact that Hobs was the first UK business to own two of Xerox’s Iridesse production presses.
All-encompassing offering
Today, the company offers what Horwood describes as “an all-encompassing print offering”. This ranges from small-format black and white printing, through to wide-format and creative design services. For the sign industry, Hobs also produces a range of work from on-demand one-off signs to nationwide signage.
“We’re able to help our clients through rebranding, design, and fulfilment on any large-format jobs,” Horwood says, adding: “We have the flexibility and creative expertise to provide our clients with the total signage solution. Our team of experts are on-hand from initial concept and design right through to fulfilment and installation.”
Not only does Hobs produce a range of products for both the print and sign industries, it has also put a strong focus on developing its 3D division which has its head office in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London.
Reflecting on how the company has evolved its offering over the years, Horwood says: “Over the last 53 years, we’ve become the largest independent reprographics company in the UK and consistently made significant investments in both our technology and our people.
We proudly boast a Royal warrant for services to the Royal Household as well as the most comprehensive 3D technology offerings in the world”
“We proudly boast a Royal Warrant for services to the Royal Household, as well as one of the most comprehensive 3D technology offerings in the world.”
Making an impression
As well as boasting a Royal Warrant, Hobs has produced a number of printed signage for some well-known projects such as Warner Brothers’ recently launched Hollywood production of Batgirl. Taking place in Glasgow, the installation saw Hobs produce posters for set decoration as well as an 11m-wide by 4.5m-high billboard.
Hobs had produced work for Warner Brothers on a number of occasions in 2021 with some jobs requiring the production of over 200 posters at a time, John Cruickshank, commercial manager of Hobs Repro told SignLink.
Hobs produces a range of print and signage products including wall graphics
He explains: “This isn’t a particularly common number of posters we would be asked for. It was good work for us and something we are very proficient in thanks to the equipment we have in Glasgow.” Describing the production of the billboard, Cruickshank adds: “We had a meeting about how the wooden frame would be constructed then went ahead and produced the billboard poster on 212gsm blue black paper which is perfect for pasting to billboards.”
The billboard was placed onto the Tron Theatre and Cruickshank said the project was tricky due to existing street signs and lamp posts that needed to be worked around. “It’s a slightly unusual job but it is great when you see something you have been involved with on the Scottish news and being talked about by so many people in Glasgow.
“I’ve seen the billboard on TV maybe a dozen times now along with backdrops where posters we produced are in view. I think my wife and kids are bored of me telling them how Dad and Hobs were involved in the Batgirl set production,” Cruickshank says.
Investing in the future
With the environment and sustainability a hot topic, another area Hobs has invested in is helping its customers to offset their carbon footprints. The Liverpool-based branch of Hobs recently partnered with PrintReleaf to introduce a ‘you print one, we’ll plant one’ initiative.
The PrintReleaf Exchange (PRX) is a patented software platform made to develop standards for measuring, offsetting and verifying reforestation of paper consumption. The partnership follows Hobs’ attainment of the ISO 14001 environmental accreditation.
Hobs produced a number of Lorax themed displays to promote its PrintReleaf partnership
As you would expect from a 160-strong company operating across over 21 branches, Horwood describes the day-to-day running of business in one word: “hectic”. It is this team of 160 however that he says is what he is most proud of. “They inspire us and our clients, both new and old, to push hard every day,” Horwood says, adding: “Our team tackle any challenge head on and make sure they are able to deliver on what was thought to be impossible.”
One such challenge, like many, was the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Horwood, the difficulties of the past two years saw Hobs have to plan and restructure whilst monitoring changing market demand, which he says presented “countless challenges along the way”.
However, the team prevailed and Horwood says: “With normality in sight and our continued efforts and perseverance, we can see a host of new opportunities on the horizon – which has been welcome motivation for us all to push forward!”
Looking to the future, Hobs plans to continue to challenge the current market offerings with its print and finishing options, alongside its fusion of 2D and 3D solutions.
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