Barnard & Westwood, a fine printer and bookbinder based in central London, has been bought out by its own staff, with all of the current employees becoming partners in the Barnard & Westwood Employee Ownership Trust.
The company, which holds a Royal warrant, will continue to produce its high-end, bespoke print and bookbinding using a mix of traditional and cutting edge technology for a range of clients.
Austen Kopley, B&W’s Managing Director said: “We believe the new structure gives us a real opportunity to grow Barnard & Westwood in a way that is beneficial to everyone involved in the business”.
The day-to-day management of the company will essentially be the same. Austen Kopley will remain as Managing Director, and Robert Ellisson as Company Secretary. Elsewhere, two long-standing employees, Linda Austin who works in accounting and marketing, and David High who is in charge of die stamping and letterpress printing, join the Trustee Board as trustee members. Michele Kopley will also serve on the Trustee Board for the first two years of the new endeavour.
The company is approaching its centenary, having grown as a family business. Kopley added: “Long term planning is something that often passes small and medium-sized businesses by and we were determined that we should put in place a plan that went some way to guaranteeing the legacy of the company.”
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