PRINT specialist DMP is finding success through combining digital technology with traditional printing methods.

Keighley-based DMP is progressing as the printing industry emerges from its toughest ever time,and harnessing the digital revolution that has been the downfall of many competitors.

The firm, which has 55 staff , has become an innovator in personalised print technologies through its online Hello Market and Giving.Cards platforms.

Managing director Tony Kemp said DMP has found a way of securing its future and that of its employees.

He said: “The digital revolution, combined with a long and deep recession, has seen the demise of many traditional print businesses – but for those willing to take a risk and diversify, new technologies can actually offer some great opportunities.”

Tony transformed his company’s fortunes after acquiring the traditional print business in December 2011.

But he suffered an early shock when the company’s main customer (the previous holding company) went bust - leaving him with a major problem.

This coincided with a UK print industry downturn , with trade organisation BPIF reporting staff cuts in a third of all print firms in 2009 and more than 1,000 companies experiencing significant problems .

Tony set about restructuring and nurturing the business and investing £500,000 in new technology and equipment.

He said: “We looked to diversify to survive. With the recession biting and printers going out of business almost daily, we had to do something different if we were to enjoy a profitable future.

“We looked at what could be done to combine data insights and digital printing and how we could incorporate variable imagery and texts to help graphic designers and businesses produce one-to-one marketing communications of a standard not available anywhere else.

“This meant we had to make up our own technology and systems as the level of options we wanted to offer our customers just didn’t exist. We wanted to give all businesses and charities cost effective communication tools that previously were only available to larger firms and institutions that had deep pockets. We wanted to grow the market and client response rates.”

The result was Hello Market, launched in 2013 and now a leading direct marketing tool for small and medium sized businesses and charities.

Users of Hello Market can personalise their direct mailings and marketing literature quickly and cost effectively, with bespoke one-to-one communications,.

DMP has also diversified further with Giving.cards., an online, personalised greetings card service offering charities a cut from every card sold.

Tony said: “I have invested heavily in DMP and seen the emergence of Hello Market and Giving.cards as a result. But we are still spotting opportunities, listening to feedback from customers about what more they would like and working out ways to give them what they want.

“We have safeguarded jobs in Keighley, and I pride myself on having come through a time of recession, as well as the general contraction of the printing industry as we knew it."