Timsons

Timsons is a British printing-equipment manufacturer based in Kettering, Northamptonshire. Founded in 1896 by Arthur Richardson Timson, the company developed as a family-owned engineering business and became particularly associated with custom-built web offset presses for high-volume book production. Rather than selling a standardized machine platform alone, Timsons designs presses around a printer's requirements, including web width, print circumference, folding configuration, paper characteristics and the intended book formats. This approach is suited to book printers that need to move between products such as bibles, dictionaries, novels, paperbacks, reference books and manuals while limiting trim waste and maintaining production flexibility. Timsons has specialized in book-printing presses for more than five decades. Its book systems generally use lithographic web offset printing, with servo-driven controls and configurations adapted to substrates ranging from very lightweight Bible paper to conventional book stocks. The company's equipment is used in installations serving multiple book formats, including A and B format paperbacks as well as Demy and Royal sizes. A notable user has been the British book printer Clays, whose Timsons equipment was used in the production of the Harry Potter series, including Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. This association illustrates the type of demanding, high-volume work for which the company's presses are designed, although Timsons is an equipment supplier rather than the publisher or printer of those books. The company later broadened its technical scope into flexible-packaging printing with the T-Flex range. These presses use flexographic printing and can be configured for water-based or ultraviolet-curable inks, including cationic and free-radical UV systems. The first T-Flex 508 was acquired by the Welsh Centre for Printing and Coating at Swansea University as a research and development platform, supporting the development of the larger T-Flex 600 series and giving the product line an academic and industrial test environment. Timsons retains substantial manufacturing capability at its Kettering site. The premises include foundry and pattern-making facilities, a machine shop, press assembly areas, research bays and offices covering design, sales, service and administration. The company also operates a training school and has maintained an apprenticeship tradition in mechanical and electrical engineering. Its first formal apprenticeship scheme was introduced in 1950, and the business has continued to use apprenticeships as part of its skills-development model. The company serves customers beyond the United Kingdom through a sales subsidiary in Milan covering southern Europe and a sales and service operation for the Americas based in Schaumburg, Illinois. Timsons therefore combines a distinctly British manufacturing base with international sales, installation and after-sales support. Its market position is that of a specialized engineering partner for printers requiring customized web presses, rather than a mass-market supplier of general office or commercial printing equipment. The business remains active and privately held, with leadership continuity across several generations of the Timson family and long-serving engineering personnel.

Timsons was established in 1896 by Arthur Richardson Timson in Kettering, England. The company developed within the local engineering and manufacturing economy and remained family-owned. Arthur Timson's son, Ernest Arthur Timson, succeeded him as managing director in 1940. A formal apprenticeship scheme was introduced in 1950, reflecting the company's long-term emphasis on developing mechanical and electrical engineering skills internally. Over time, Timsons concentrated increasingly on the specialized requirements of book production. For more than fifty years the company has focused on presses capable of printing and folding book webs across a broad range of paper weights, page formats and finished products. Book production presents unusual engineering challenges because printers may need to change between lightweight Bible and dictionary papers, standard novel stock, paperback formats and larger reference-book formats. Timsons addressed this requirement through bespoke press design, allowing customers to specify features such as print circumference, web width and folder configuration. The objective is to provide production flexibility while reducing unnecessary trim waste. The company's book presses typically use lithographic web offset technology and servo-driven systems. Its equipment has been installed by major book printers, including Bungay-based Clays. Clays used Timsons presses in the production of the Harry Potter series, including Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The example demonstrates the suitability of the presses for demanding, high-volume book programs, but the manufacturing and printing roles remained distinct: Timsons supplied the press technology while Clays undertook book printing. Timsons also developed the ZMR book press, which became an important product in the company's innovation record. In 2006, the business received the Queen's Award for Enterprise for innovation in recognition of the development and commercial success of the ZMR. On 1 July that year, Timsons combined the award with its 110th-anniversary celebrations and the opening of a new 10,000-square-foot high-bay press assembly shop. The expansion strengthened the company's ability to assemble large, customized industrial presses at its Kettering facility. The business subsequently extended its capabilities into flexible-packaging printing. Its T-Flex machines use flexographic processes and support water-based and ultraviolet-curable ink systems. The first T-Flex 508 was built as a testbed connected with development of the T-Flex 600 and was purchased by the Welsh Centre for Printing and Coating at Swansea University. The university used the press for research, giving the platform a role in both product development and industrial education. Timsons' Kettering premises include a foundry, pattern-making facilities, a machine shop, assembly operations, research bays and offices for design, sales, service and administration. The company also maintains a training school and continues its apprenticeship tradition, with approximately six mechanical and electrical engineering apprentices described as being trained each year in the reference material. Jeff Ward joined the company as an apprentice in 1979 and later became managing director after Peter Brown, Ernest Timson's son-in-law, retired from that role in 2007. This succession illustrates the combination of family ownership, internal technical training and long service that has characterized the company. Internationally, Timsons supports customers through a Milan sales subsidiary serving southern Europe and a sales and service operation for the Americas in Schaumburg, Illinois. The company remains an active, privately held specialist manufacturer. Its historical identity is rooted in British engineering and book-printing technology, while its current product scope includes both custom book presses and flexographic systems for flexible packaging.

• 2007

  Jeff Ward becomes managing director

  [1]Timsonsen.wikipedia.org

  Jeff Ward, who had joined Timsons as an apprentice in 1979, became managing director following Peter Brown's retirement.

• 2006

  110th anniversary, factory expansion and Queen's Award

  [1]Timsonsen.wikipedia.org

  Timsons marked its 110th anniversary by opening a 10,000-square-foot high-bay assembly shop and receiving the Queen's Award for Enterprise for innovation related to the ZMR book press.

• 1950

  Formal apprenticeship scheme introduced

  [1]Timsonsen.wikipedia.org

  Timsons introduced its first official apprenticeship training scheme, reinforcing internal engineering-skills development.

• 1940

  Ernest Arthur Timson becomes managing director

  [1]Timsonsen.wikipedia.org

  Ernest Arthur Timson succeeded his father as managing director, continuing family leadership.

• 1896

  Company founded in Kettering

  [1]Timsonsen.wikipedia.org

  Arthur Richardson Timson founded the family-owned engineering company that became Timsons.

A specialist, engineering-led supplier of customized web printing presses, focused on high-volume book production and expanding into flexible-packaging applications.

• Lithographic web offset printing presses

  Custom book-printing presses

  Timsons' core book-press systems are custom engineered for web-fed lithographic offset production. Printers can specify web width, print circumference and folding equipment to match required book formats and paper grades. The systems are intended to handle products ranging from bibles and dictionaries on lightweight papers to paperbacks, novels, reference books and manuals, with flexibility aimed at reducing excess trim waste.

• Book-printing press

  ZMR

  The ZMR is a Timsons book press recognized in the company's innovation history. Its development and commercial success were cited in connection with Timsons receiving the Queen's Award for Enterprise for innovation in 2006. The press belongs to the company's broader family of high-volume, configurable web systems for book printers.

• Flexographic flexible-packaging press

  T-Flex 508

  The T-Flex 508 was developed as a flexographic press for flexible-packaging applications. It supports water-based and UV-curable ink systems, including cationic and free-radical UV formulations. A machine was acquired by the Welsh Centre for Printing and Coating at Swansea University and used as a research platform and testbed for further T-Flex development.

• Flexographic flexible-packaging press

  T-Flex 600

  The T-Flex 600 is a larger flexographic press developed from the research and testing associated with the T-Flex 508. The range is designed for flexible-packaging printing and supports water-based and ultraviolet-curable ink technologies.

• 2006

  Expand assembly capacity in KetteringStrategy

  Background

  Timsons needed appropriate facilities for assembling large, customized industrial printing presses.

  Action taken

  The company opened a new 10,000-square-foot high-bay press assembly shop as part of its 110th-anniversary event.

  Aftermath

  The expansion formed part of the company's continuing Kettering manufacturing base and was announced alongside recognition for the ZMR press's innovation.

  Source

• Enter flexible-packaging press manufacturingProduct launch

  Background

  Timsons had an established position in book-printing presses and sought to apply its engineering capabilities to another web-printing market.

  Action taken

  The company developed the T-Flex series of flexographic presses for flexible packaging, supporting water-based and UV-curable inks.

  Aftermath

  The T-Flex 508 served as a university-based research and development platform connected with the development of the T-Flex 600.

  Source

• 2006

  Timsons marks its 110th anniversary with factory expansion and innovation award[1]Timsonsen.wikipedia.org

  Other · Product launch

  The company commemorated its 110th anniversary on 1 July 2006 by opening a new high-bay press assembly shop and receiving the Queen's Award for Enterprise for innovation associated with the ZMR book press.

• Timsons develops the T-Flex flexographic press range[1]Timsonsen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Timsons expanded beyond book presses with the T-Flex series for flexible packaging, using flexographic printing and water-based or UV-curable inks.

1. 1Timsonsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Timsons official websitetimsons.com