Group History

IMEX Group Limited was formed in the year 2000 by the current Directors, who worked at the time for Brynymor Press Limited, a Swansea design & print company that had been trading since 1953. Although well established in the principality, there appeared to be little growth potential with a local customer base, a localised brand name and limited services.

When an opportunity presented itself in 2001, the current Directors of IMEX Group Limited bought Brynymor Press, in order to take advantage of its long trading history. The Directors immediately set about establishing a range of complementary services not previously offered in-house, such as exhibition stands, large format graphics, web design and corporate gifts. At the same time the company was re-launched with the IMEX brand name and a new strategy was embarked upon to grow the company nationally, via the creation of independent internet sales channels designed to reflected the diverse range of services now offered. These were then targeted separately at both end-user and trade customers via several online brands.

The internet was beginning to grow exponentially at the time and a younger breed of buyer began to emerge. IMEX concentrated on developing expert in-house internet marketing expertise and this strategy proved tremendously successful, with the company doubling its annual turnover to £1.5 million over a three year period 2002-2005.

By 2005, IMEX had outgrown its premises in Llandarcy and relocated to its current site at Ash Court, Viking Way, Swansea with the help of a successful application for Regional Selective Assistance from the Welsh Assembly. This enabled not only the acquisition of new machinery and technology at the time, but also the construction of a new, two-story adjoining office block, 'IMEX House'.

At year end in April 2005 print sales had increased 27% on the previous year due to the success of the growing internet sales channels and the expansion of a national customer base. This meant that existing in-house B3 colour printing equipment could no longer meet demand and plans to purchase a larger B2 press and expand operations were made in 2006.

Around this time initial discussions commenced with Martyn Jones of DWJ ColourPrint, a blue-chip B2 printing company with a 100 year trading history10 miles away in Port Talbot, South Wales. Martyn is the Great Grandson of the founder of DWJ and Managing Director of the firm. DWJ had an enviable reputation and loyal customer base that surprisingly did not overlap with IMEX.

It became apparent that the remainder of the DWJ board were looking to sell if possible in order to retire and the company lacked the vision required to take it forward at the time. An ambitious plan was agreed in March 2006, whereby IMEX Group would acquire the entire share capital of DWJ, invest in a new B2 printing press and cutting edge Computer-to-Plate system, move the whole DWJ printing operation from two sites in Port Talbot and merge forces with the new IMEX facility recently set up in Swansea. As part of the acquisition, Martyn Jones would join the board of IMEX Group, with an equal shareholding and remain as Managing Director and figurehead of DWJ.

The possible combined economy of scale was obvious. The litho print operation of IMEX with its internet sales channels and excess B2 work was absorbed into the new DWJ while IMEX focused on the expansion of its large format printing operation. This re-focus of operations proved successful, with IMEX trading as 'IMEX Display', expanding and moving to new premises in 2006, when Unit 2 Ash Court was purchased by the Directors.

After a lot of hard work and time to achieve this vision, by the year end in April 2008 the IMEX Group of companies had achieved this aim and posted a combined profit on ordinary activities before taxation of £172,000 on a turnover of £2.54 million.

The success of 2007/2008 was also helped by the creation of IMEX Digital in September 2007. During the summer of that year, Simon Toft (MD) and David Haines (Commercial Director) spent 3 months future planning and investigating new digital printing technologies. A clear opportunity was identified that would offer added value to our customer base and generate significant new business without affecting the turnover of existing Group subsidiaries. In addition to this, higher gross profits could be achieved through greater efficiencies in the process. It was proven that the technology had matured to the right level of quality and reliability and it would enable IMEX to place itself ahead of the competition for new emerging markets (such as the development of variable data printing applications). IMEX Digital was duly formed in September 2007, new premises were bought at Unit 1 Ash Court and it is now trading very profitably achieving a turnover of nearly £500,000 in 2008/2009.