Zebra Print Group has recently celebrated its 20th anniversary – a notable achievement for an independent print business. Being adaptable has been a major reason for the company’s ongoing success – along with consistently investing in new printing technology – and this is set to continue into the next decade.
Zebra Print Group has come a long way since David Storr established the business back in 2006 with a vision to offer high-quality, affordable print services to customers in Yorkshire.
Now, 20 years later, the business has grown from a small print operation to a full-service print partner working with organisations across Yorkshire and throughout the UK. From its 21,000sq ft facility in Leeds, Zebra Print Group’s 15-strong team provides everything from design and artwork through to digital and litho print, large-format graphics, promotional merchandise, fulfilment, storage and delivery.
For Samantha Overton, who took over as managing director of Zebra Print Group from her father, David, in 2024, reaching 20 years in business is a significant milestone.
Samantha says the company officially marked its 20th anniversary in September. “It was a lovely opportunity to reflect on how far the business has come,” she says.
“We celebrated with the team, because ultimately, they are the people who have helped make Zebra what it is today. We also used the anniversary as an opportunity to look back at some of the milestones, people and customers that have shaped the business over the past two decades.
“Twenty years is a significant achievement for any SME, particularly in an industry that has experienced so much change, so it was important to take a moment to celebrate it properly. But we’re also very focused on what the next chapter looks like.”
Factors of success
Indeed, 20 years is a milestone that many businesses – regardless of sector – don’t achieve, so it was well worth celebrating. Samantha puts the company’s ongoing success down to several factors.
“I think adaptability has played a huge part,” she says. “Print has changed enormously over the past 20 years and businesses that stand still very quickly get left behind.
“We’ve continued to invest, diversify our services and listen closely to what our customers need. Rather than simply seeing ourselves as a company that puts ink on paper, we’ve evolved into a partner that can manage much more of the print process for our customers.
“But I’d also put a lot of our success down to relationships. We’re incredibly proud to have achieved 100% client retention and, over the last 24 months, we’ve welcomed 56 new clients. For me, that demonstrates that you can grow without losing the personal service and attention to detail that your existing customers value.
“We pride ourselves on combining the capabilities and technology you would expect from a much larger print business with the personal service and flexibility of an independent company. We currently produce about 2,400 jobs a year and, despite our growth, maintaining strong, long-term relationships with our customers remains at the heart of what we do.”
Changing times
As Samantha admits, almost everything has changed about the business since it was established. “The technology, the speed at which customers expect things, the range of services we provide and the way we manage print,” she says.
“Zebra started as a much smaller traditional print business, whereas today we operate from a 21,000sq ft facility and offer digital and litho print, large format, promotional merchandise, design, fulfilment, storage and web-to-print solutions.”
But, that said, some things haven’t changed – and for good reason. “Technology has allowed us to become faster, more efficient and more responsive, but one thing that hasn’t changed is our focus on service,” she says. “We never want technology to come at the expense of relationships.”
Samantha’s own journey with the business has seen her role growth with it – all the while developing a detailed understanding of Zebra Print Group’s customers, people and operations – culminating in taking on the managing director role. “Taking on the MD role was an opportunity to build on the foundations that had already been established while bringing fresh energy and ideas into the business,” she says.
“My focus has been on creating sustainable growth, continuing to invest in our capabilities and our people, and making sure Zebra retains the culture and customer service that have been fundamental to its success.”
Print sector
Looking at the sector now, Samantha believes it is an interesting time for print. “It’s certainly competitive and there are pressures around costs, energy, materials and margins, but there are also significant opportunities for businesses that are prepared to adapt,” she says.
“We are continuing to see healthy demand, and we’ve secured 56 new clients over the past two years, while retaining our existing customer base.”
Samantha says that what has changed recently is the type of demand the company sees. “Customers increasingly want more than a printer; they want a partner who can take complexity away from them,” she says. “They might need print, merchandise, storage, fulfilment and distribution managed through one supplier rather than dealing with several different businesses.
“I also think physical print still has an incredibly important role to play. In such a digitally saturated world, a high-quality piece of print can create a tangible connection that is increasingly difficult to achieve online.”
Other trends in the industry include customers increasingly looking for speed and flexibility in print jobs. “Customers are working to shorter lead times and want suppliers that can react quickly without compromising quality,” she says.
“We’re also seeing growing demand for end-to-end solutions. Customers don’t necessarily want hundreds or thousands of printed items delivered to their office anymore. They want us to produce them, store them and fulfil individual orders as and when they’re required.
“Personalisation and shorter, more targeted print runs are also becoming increasingly important, which is where developments in digital print technology are particularly exciting.”
Print mix
Given the range of work that Zebra Print Group carries out, it requires a range of printers across digital, litho and large format production. “Different jobs require different solutions,” says Samanatha.
She adds that the company isn’t loyal to any one manufacturer just for the sake of loyalty. “For us, it’s about choosing the technology that best supports our customers and our production requirements,” she says.
“We have built strong relationships with our technology partners over the years, but every investment must make commercial and operational sense. We’re preparing for further investment in our digital production capabilities later this year, which will add to our existing capacity and give us even greater flexibility.”
When buying printers, Samantha takes many factors into consideration. “Price is obviously part of any investment decision, but it certainly isn’t the only consideration,” she says.
“We look at quality, productivity, reliability, flexibility, energy efficiency and how a machine will integrate into our existing operation. We also consider what it will allow us to offer our customers that we can’t do as efficiently today.
“Service and support from the manufacturer or supplier are hugely important too. A machine can look fantastic on paper, but in a busy production environment you need confidence that support will be there when you need it.
“Ultimately, we look at the total value the investment can bring to the business rather than simply the initial purchase price.”
Staying on top of technology is also important, especially considering how fast the pace of development is currently. “Automation is increasing, digital print quality continues to improve and technology is allowing printers to produce increasingly personalised work efficiently at shorter run lengths,” says Samantha.
“Software is becoming just as important as the hardware too. Customers want easier ordering, greater visibility and more efficient ways of managing their print requirements.
“For us, staying on top of that means constantly looking at where the market is going, speaking with suppliers, listening to customers and assessing where technology can make a meaningful difference.
“We don’t invest in technology simply because it’s new. There must be a clear reason for it – whether that’s improving quality, increasing capacity, reducing waste, becoming more energy efficient or allowing us to provide a better service.”
Sustainability
Sustainability is also an important consideration for Zebra Print Services, and Samantha is careful to ensure the company is as sustainable as possible.
“Customers increasingly want to understand the environmental impact of the products they’re buying and expect their suppliers to demonstrate that they’re actively reducing their own impact too,” she says.
“For us, sustainability must be about practical action rather than simply saying the right things,” she says.
“We’ve invested in 88 solar panels at our Leeds facility, which can generate about 48MWh of renewable electricity each year. We continually look at ways to reduce waste, improve energy efficiency and make our production processes more efficient.
“Technology investment plays an important part in that because newer, more efficient equipment can help us reduce energy consumption, waste and unnecessary production.
“We’re also conscious that sustainability increasingly matters to our customers, so part of our role is helping them make informed choices about materials, quantities and production methods.
“There is always more that any business can do, but our approach is to keep making tangible improvements rather than treating sustainability as a one-off project.”
Future
While Zebra Print Group has been celebrating its anniversary this year, Samantha and her team’s focus is firmly on the future. “Twenty years feels like a milestone, but definitely not a finishing line,” she says.
“Our focus now is on the next phase of sustainable growth. We’ll continue investing in technology and our production capabilities, including further investment arriving later this year, while developing the services that make life easier for our customers.
“We want to keep winning new business, but just as importantly, we want to protect the relationships we’ve built with our existing customers and maintain the service levels we’re known for.
“We have a fantastic team, a strong customer base and a clear idea of where we want Zebra to go next. The ambition is to keep evolving without losing the personality, agility and relationships that have got us through our first 20 years.”
This article first appeared in Print in the Channel magazine issue #41
