It was a pleasure to welcome Jason McCartney, Chairman of Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, to our new Huddersfield premises recently.

Jason has long been a passionate advocate for businesses across Huddersfield and West Yorkshire, particularly our manufacturing sector. He understands the challenges local businesses face, but more importantly, he champions the opportunities that exist when businesses work together, invest and continue to innovate.

Having the chance to show him around our new home gave us the opportunity to demonstrate how HAD-Print has evolved. From commercial print and large format graphics through to branded workwear, signage, promotional merchandise and brand implementation, we’ve continued to invest in bringing more production under one roof, making life easier for our customers and giving them greater consistency across everything that carries their brand.

Manufacturing remains a huge part of our business. We work alongside manufacturers throughout the region, helping them improve efficiency, maintain brand consistency and present themselves professionally, whether that’s on the factory floor, in the boardroom or out on customer sites.

Mid Yorkshire Chamber continues to play an important role in connecting businesses, sharing knowledge and creating opportunities across the region. Being part of that community isn’t simply about networking; it’s about surrounding yourself with businesses that genuinely want to see Yorkshire succeed.

Thank you, Jason, for taking the time to visit us, for your continued support of local businesses and for everything you do to champion manufacturing and enterprise across our region. We look forward to working together and continuing the conversation.

Here’s to a strong future for Huddersfield business.

Why we’re different:

We care. We treat you and your print project as a complete entity. It may be old school, but when we work on your project, it is our primary focus.

Our attention is on your job:

Unlike online print providers, we don’t combine multiple jobs, which often compromises quality. We concentrate solely on your project.

Artisan approach:

We never compromise on materials. Our focus is on what will achieve the best results for you. Whether it’s selecting the right paper or board for traditional print, ensuring the durability of vinyl for large graphics, or choosing the best grade of cloth for printed or embroidered garments, we specify materials that ensure success. Our sourcing is extensive, and you won’t find this level of care online.

Craftsmanship:

Our team is experienced, trained, and skilled. What we do matters deeply to us. Every team member has a keen eye for detail. Unlike online print portals, which automate much of the process, we take pride in offering personalized attention to every project, beyond just handling a job number.

Bespoke Solutions:

If you need to stand out, that’s our specialty. We are capable of offering unique options and know more methods and materials than you may find through online print portals. Whether it’s specialized binding (we offer over seven types), custom sizes, or precise colour matching, our hands-on approach sets us apart.

Locally Made:

Do you know where your print materials are sourced? We can help you be responsible by reducing courier mileage, sourcing paper sustainably, and ensuring good accreditations. Plus, spending your money locally supports our local economy and helps create jobs in your area.

Honest Communication:

While we may not be the cheapest option, you receive far more engagement with us. We provide honest assessments of products and solutions, striking a balance between price, quality, and speed. We’ll let you know when something could be improved, as we understand what it takes to make your project truly successful, and no one enjoys compromising on quality.

Customer service is standard with us. We are here to help, provide ideas, brainstorm, or introduce you to products you won’t find online. You won’t encounter chatbots; you will engage with real people.

If it matters to you, it matters to us. We are grounded, real individuals who love delivering excellent results for genuine people like you.

A few instances have popped up in the last few weeks, where we know we aren’t being compared equally. It’s all about attention to detail.

Example one… We ask about the thickness of a laminate on a dry wipe board, it comes in two thicknesses – 25 mic and 100 mic. As you can imagine, we know the difference and why you’d use one over the other. And yes, it does affect the costings of the end product, yes the 100 mic, is more expensive and requires different application techniques in production, which are more bench time-consuming. So, for example, one of Apples or Pears.

Example two… We’ve seen various Hoodies and Apparel recently which have made us slightly curdle at the poor quality of the embroidery. We assess every job and ensure that the structure of the image, and logo being embroidered will actually work as you’d expect with edges which are clear and non-raggy etc. Getting this right is important, firstly it’s the quality of the job, it might have more stitches in it, which yes is chargeable. Secondly, a lesser considered or thought through with fewer stitches will wear considerably faster, than one that is properly constructed with the right stitch detail. Key members of our garment print team have been trained by relevant industry suppliers in threads, backings, file construction and associated technologies. Of course, cheaper suppliers have to cut corners to offer cheaper rates. However, you will end up buying twice. Again, are you comparing Apples to Pears?

Example three… Sticking with Hoodies and Apparel. Our DTF Print for garments uses globally recognised ink technology, which has high degrees of stretch-ability, a colour gamut which renders images correctly, and importantly is accountable. We also use industry benchmark heat presses by Adkins, combined with finishing materials which stabilise and provide the right finish to the relevant surface which has been printed on. Yes, in recent weeks we’ve seen Glossy non-finished prints on a Scout Group’s kit, which we know will lift, peel and degrade quicker for lack of appropriate finishing. So again, cutting corners on this is a false economy – so Apples to Pears?

Example four… A print broker who placed regular work with us, whilst under pressure from the client to cut costs, due to funding issues, spread a round of quoting further afield than usual. Please note, this is not us being bitter, but the facts of us losing the job, were purely down to a non-like-for-like specification. The paper we used on the job, was fully FSC accredited from UK merchant routes. However, on finding out who eventually won the job, we lost out to lesser accredited stock (Asian cheap imported, with lesser, if any accreditations), printed using a different method to ourselves. We are aware of caveats in funding for the arts, where a level of responsibility is expected, so care should be taken to ensure specifying meets expectations. Yet again Apples to Pears comparison.

So how do we overcome this?

We have a print audit tool, which for tangible print users, we can identify what matters, and tailor our approach to making your print work harder for you. We can assess ways and means of achieving minor shifts in purchasing habits to maximise how the budget works.

We are a responsible Print Service Provider, signed up to TwoSides and the industry body for a better understanding of the use of paper and board products.

We exist as a proper face-to-face print service provider, as this relationship between you and us, allows us to understand you and equally achieve what you want.

Like all things you pay for what you get, if you cut corners, then specification, and service will diminish. We describe ourselves as a “proper” print service provider. Based on honesty and realism within what we do and deliver.