As Mayor of Great Aycliffe, I often receive invitations to visit local companies and this week an invitation from Newton Press came through which I found intriguing. A chance to look beyond the façade of a company with whom I have been dealing for a decade, but knew little about.
Paul, Stuart, and Christopher Howarth welcomed me with open arms and were only too delighted to show off their state-of-the-art machinery capable of printing, folding, stapling paper and cardboard into brochures, leaflets and boxes. The list I have is extensive and varied, suffice it to say, that for stationary and promotional purposes they cannot be overlooked so give them a call for a swift turnaround from a local firm.
All the machinery seems to be computer controlled, alleviating the labour part of the process. As we toured the printing works, I was shown what each machine is capable of and, of course, couldn’t mistake the pride shown by the brothers when they spoke of their father and how he had built up the company, which is coming up to sixty years old.
Of course, time doesn’t stand still, and I was informed that further investment would be arriving soon in the form of new machinery capable of even more advanced production. I am always in awe of how, from virtually nothing, a business can be built up and through sheer determination and hard work become an employer of the future.
We Newtonians are very fortunate in that we can look forward to a brighter future because of our entrepreneurs. I knew Newton Press were proficient in supplying leaflets and printed materials but was staggered by the range of items which they now produce. The brothers were keen to expand on their green credentials too, utilising an electric van for deliveries, vegetable-based inks and toners and solar power for energy, it appears very little is wasted with even paper coming from a sustainable source.
Thank you for showing me around and I wish you well for the next sixty years.
Cllr Ken Robson, Mayor of Great Aycliffe