We are open for business as usual. Contact your local branch between 8.30 and 17.00 or order online 24/7.

Company History

 

Our story starts in 1967 when it was founded by David Blackhall and Barry Barrett. These two entrepreneurs had developed office equipment businesses with branches which covered the UK. Litho Supplies was started as a division of this business, to service the growing lithographic printing industry, initially supplying consumable products such as inks, plates films and chemicals. In 1980 David and Barry decided to sell their companies to the Dickinson Robinson Group plc, a listed British multinational paper manufacturer based in Bristol, with Litho Supplies becoming a new division of the group - DRG Litho Supplies. In 1989 DRG was subject to a hostile takeover bid by Pembridge Investments. Following a prolonged negotiation, the management team succeeded in buying the company back in 1990, as a private company, with the help of 3i, The Bank of Scotland and a number of financial institutions.

In 1992 the business was successfully floated on the London Stock Exchange where continued to trade until December 2009 . Due to adverse trading conditions and a severe down turn within the printing sector the group entered administration, however, senior management with the assistance a London based turnaround specialist venture capital acquired Litho Supplies.

Agfa BV acquired 100% of the share capital of Litho Supplies in February 2011 and it now operates as a standalone business and continues to be the leading supplier of consumables, equipment and services to the UK printing industry.