Rotherham-based Bluetree is moving all its resources back into print, mothballing the medical division it established in 2020 to manufacture protective masks during the Covid-19 pandemic, and focusing on books and booklet printing, with a number of staff redeployments to support this.

Co-CEO Adam Carnell explained, ‘Over the last 18 months the focus of the business has increasingly moved to print as demand for masks dropped and the opportunities in print grew stronger. Recently we have made the decision to put all of our energy and resources behind the area of the business that we have seen growing fastest, books and booklet printing.’

This decision also follows on from the October 2021 acquisition of book printer Kingsbury Press, which brought a wealth of experience in book production and specialised finishing techniques. In May 2023 Bluetree decided to relocate all Kingsbury operations from Doncaster to its main site. Binding and finishing operations now take place in Unit B, which previously housed the medical division and is adjacent to the main production facility.

Mark Young, managing director of the print division, commented, ‘The acquisition of Kingsbury Press brings new skills into the group that will enable Route1Print to broaden the range of products that we offer as standard but also to handle much more complex projects that might present as an opportunity.’

The most significant part of the reshuffle has been with the Group’s senior management team. Jon Smith, who was the managing director of the medical business, has taken the role of production director. He joined the business in 2015 and previously ran the Instantprint brand.

Phil Tasker will be taking over as head of Kingsbury Press,  having joined Bluetree in 2022 to run the Route1Print trade offering; Jack Parks moves from sales director for the medical business to head of Route1Print; he joined the business in 2019 and originally ran the Instantprint Direct brand.

Bluetree also said it will be announcing further investments over the next two months to further support the businesses focus on books and booklet printing.