Northern Print Solutions acquires Design Xpress, tops £3M turnover

What's the deal? Gateshead-based Northern Print Solutions Group has acquired Consett-based Design Xpress, creating a combined business with more than £3 million in turnover and a 24-strong workforce. Both companies will continue operating from their existing sites.

Northern Print Solutions specialises in small-format print, packaging, direct mail, fulfilment, and campaign delivery. Design Xpress focuses on large-format graphics, signage, and displays for the retail, hospitality, manufacturing, and corporate sectors.

Craig Daly, Northern Print Solutions Group managing director, said the deal "significantly" expanded production capacity. "This move is about bringing two strong businesses together, adding structure and support behind the scenes, and creating more opportunity for teams and customers going forward," he said.

Why now? The company's leadership described the acquisition as "the natural next step" in its growth strategy. The two firms have a longstanding relationship — Daly said they had known the Design Xpress team "for a long time" and respected the quality of their work.

The signal: The deal reflects a familiar pattern among regional print businesses: consolidation to broaden capabilities and win more diverse contracts. By combining small-format and large-format operations under one group, Northern Print Solutions can offer a fuller range of services without duplicating infrastructure. Jules Brown, Design Xpress director, said the acquisition lets the company "expand what we offer while continuing to deliver the same level of service with the same team our customers trust."

Read more: bdaily.co.uk