2025 WOMEN IN PRINT WHY DIRECT MAIL? PLATINUM’S 2025 INVESTMENTS WINTER
A Welcome Shift in a Traditionally Male-Dominated Industry We were proud to welcome two new apprentices to our team this year, and in a refreshing shift from the industry norm, both happen to be women. Printing has long been seen as a male-dominated field, particularly on the production and technical side. Whether it’s operating high-speed presses, managing finishing equipment, or working signage and large-format print, men have historically filled most of the roles. But that landscape is slowly evolving, and we were excited to be at the forefront of that change. The addition of our two female apprentices reflects a broader transformation happening within the print industry. As businesses across all sectors push for greater diversity, equity, and inclusion, printing is beginning to open up, not just to women but to a wider variety of skills, voices, and experiences. Bringing more women into print isn’t just about numbers or ticking boxes — it’s about the value they add: • Fresh Perspectives: New voices bring new ideas, problem-solving approaches, and innovation, all essential in a fast-evolving industry like print. • Detail & Design Sensitivity: Women often come into print with backgrounds in design, marketing, and communication, blending creativity with technical know-how. • Customer Focus: Many women in the industry excel in client-facing roles, project management, and account handling, strengthening communication between customers and production teams. • Team Culture & Balance: Diverse teams tend to work better together, with improved morale, empathy, and collaboration across the board. WOMEN IN PRINT
We hope our new apprentices aren’t just making waves at Platinum, but that, they help inspire other young women to consider a future in print. Whether it’s digital design, pre-press, operations, or finishing, there’s room for talent and ambition in every corner of the trade. This is just the beginning. As the industry continues to modernise, embracing sustainability, automation, and integrated services, we believe a more balanced workforce is not just welcome, but essential. We’re proud to support the next generation of printers, regardless of gender. We’re especially thrilled to see women stepping into roles that break the mould and help shape the future of print. “It’s great being part of a growing community of women in print, showing that this industry has space for creativity, diversity, and strong female voices. After completing an extended diploma at Leeds Art University, Charlotte explained that she struggled to break into digital media, as the market felt oversaturated. I didn’t want a standard 9–5, so the split shifts work well for me. Since joining Platinum as an apprentice, I’ve loved learning new skills, using my design experience in new ways, and being part of the process that brings amazing print to life.” Charlotte
Direct mail is delivering some of the best results in over five years, making it one of the most effective ways to reach and engage with your audience right now. • 9.2% of direct mail, door drops, and business mail prompted a website visit in Q2. This is the highest level in half a decade. • 5.9% of recipients went on to check their account details after receiving mail, again, a five-year high. • 8% of those interactions also triggered an app download, proving that physical mail directly fuels digital engagement. • The proportion of mail leading to purchases grew 15% year-on-year, with half of those sales made online. In comparison, email campaigns prompt an average website visit rate of just 3%. It’s not just about actions, it’s about attention. Direct mail stays in the home longer and is interacted with multiple times: • Direct mail lasts 7.6 days on average in the home, compared to fleeting seconds for digital ads. • Each piece of direct mail is revisited 4.6 times over 28 days. • Recipients spend an average of 145 seconds engaging with a piece of mail, compared to less than 10 seconds for the average email. In today’s world, where digital channels are overloaded and attention spans are shorter than ever, mail cuts through. It earns undivided attention, enriches digital experiences, and bridges the gap between offline and online. Why You Should Be integrating Direct Mail into your next Campaign! 10 8 6 4 2 Direct Mail Email Web Visit Prompt Rate Direct Mail vs Email Percentage % 0 10 8 6 4 2 Website Visit Account Check Actions Prompted by Direct Mail Percentage % 0 App Download 100 80 60 40 20 Direct Mail Email Average Engagement Time in (seconds) Percentage % 0 120 140
Why Platinum? With over 37 years of experience, we don’t just print and post, we manage your campaigns end to end. From creative design and personalised messaging, to precise targeting and fulfilment. • ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials certified • Data cleansing • Camera matching technology • Expert advice and account management • Save time and money • All in-house At Platinum, we know that every penny counts, especially when you’re running large-scale mail campaigns. That’s why we offer a cost-effective, fully-managed direct mail service designed to save you both time and money. Clean, accurate Data We offer a data cleansing service: • Reducing mail wastage • Improving response rates • Protecting your brand image We make sure your data stays up to date to reduce wastage. Postage When sending items by post there are various options that can result in considerable savings. Our highly experienced, dedicated account managers are able to identify the most cost-effective process of getting your mail delivered. Strengthening Our Direct Mail Offering To further enhance the quality and reliability of our direct mail service, Platinum has recently invested in a new Ricoh C9500 Digital Printer. This state-of-the-art equipment strengthens our direct mail department and ensures that all your correspondence is printed with exceptional clarity. Talk to us today about your next campaign! “Thank you to you and the team! All in all, it has been a worthy campaign.” Harrogate Flower Show
Platinum: Proud to be a Certified Carbon Balanced Printer In 2022, we reached an exciting milestone at Platinum, becoming one of the UK’s few certified Carbon Balanced Printers. This achievement, alongside our ISO 14001 accreditation and PEC (Platinum Environmental Commitment) initiative, demonstrates our commitment to a sustainable future; we work hard to ensure sustainability is embedded throughout every aspect of our operations. This May, we received our annual World Land Trust certificate, confirming that we’ve balanced 61.45 tonnes of CO₂. This action has helped protect and restore 11,737 square metres of critically endangered tropical forest, home to dozens of vulnerable and endangered species. What makes this initiative even more meaningful is that it’s not just about our own footprint. We’re able to extend this benefit to our clients by offering the option to offset the carbon emissions associated with their paperbased products. This means your next print project can help protect the planet, without compromising on quality or creativity. We also understand that being environmentally responsible involves more than just choosing the right paper. With our ISO 14001 accreditation and PEC initiative, we work hard to ensure sustainability is embedded throughout every aspect of our operations. At Platinum, we’re not just passionate about print— we’re passionate about the planet. By choosing to work with us, you’re supporting a business that takes its environmental responsibilities seriously and is actively contributing to real-world conservation efforts. Carbon Balance your next print project with Platinum. Paul Opie on behalf of World Land Trust World Land Trust balances emissions through the protection, preservation and reforestation of tropical forest under threat of deforestation and degradation. For more information about the ecological benefits of the Carbon Balanced programme, please visit www.carbonbalancedpaper.com. has balanced the equivalent of 61.45 tonnes of CO2. This will enable World Land Trust to protect and restore 11,737m2 of critically threatened tropical forest. Certified Printer Number: CBP2244 WLT Projects: Portfolio Platinum Print As a Certified Carbon Balanced Printer between 01/06/2025 & 31/05/2026
Earlier this year, we made major investments in new equipment, changes that are making a huge difference to our efficiency, our clients, and our environmental goals. The print industry moves fast, and we’re committed to moving with it. By choosing state-of-the-art technology, we’re improving the quality and speed of our service, while continuing to stay true to our values around sustainability and innovation. The New Arrivals One of the highlights of this year was watching the new machines arrive on-site. Each one felt like a milestone: • Autobond Laminator This upgrade has transformed our finishing speeds, removing a long-standing bottleneck in production. • Polar115 High-Speed Precision Guillotine A big step up from our 20-year-old Polar N 92, this machine runs significantly faster and allows us to set up automatic cutting programs, giving us both speed and precision. • ATS MSX 420 Bander Small but mighty, this compact banding machine has had a surprisingly big impact on the efficiency of our packaging. • Ricoh C9500 Digital Printer A fantastic addition to our direct mail department. It has helped us cut costs while joining our existing C9200 to boost capacity for mailing work. Looking Back and Ahead Reflecting on the changes that we’ve made, we see more than just new equipment. We see our ongoing commitment to innovation, to our clients, and to the planet. For us, these investments mark a real milestone, one that sets us up for an even stronger, more sustainable future. With more investments already in the pipeline, this is only the beginning of what’s to come. Platinum 2025 Investment in New Machines
Case Study Customer Bravo Networks houses two of the largest networks of independent regional insurance brokers in the UK. Their core purpose is to help grow, protect and support their members, by using their collective strength to help them establish lasting and fruitful relationships with their panel of Insurer Partners. Within the Networks they boast a 100-strong community of professionals, from Insurer Relations to HR experts and System Analysts. The Challenge Bravo Networks holds an annual conference, at Liverpool’s ACC. The exhibition serves as the company’s focal point of the year, bringing together all members for networking and collaboration. Bravo Networks needed a supplier capable of printing and delivering a wide range of high-quality materials on time for their two-day event scheduled for the end of February. Having previously worked with Platinum on exhibition materials, they reached out to us once again for a range of collateral, including brochures, flags, lanyards, signage, menus, Q-cards, floor vinyls, and more, to ensure the event’s success. The Solution Six months before the event, Account Manager Fiona and Estimator Katherine visited the ACC to assess the requirements for a successful event. They collaborated with Bravo Networks and the venue’s lighting and audio technicians to ensure a seamless, 360-degree solution. Following extensive planning, all materials were printed, delivered, and installed on-site ready for the event. One of the most challenging installations was the 40-metre floor vinyls. The event was a resounding success, and the exhibition halls looked fantastic. After its conclusion, we returned to the venue to ensure the complete removal of all graphics and documented the process with photographs.
Platinum’s picture-perfect social moments Platinum’s Weddings Love has certainly been in the air recently at Platinum, with two weddings in our estimating department! First, we celebrated Andrew tying the knot with Kathryn, and more recently, we congratulated another of our estimators, Katherine, on her marriage to James. A huge congratulations to both happy couples, we’re delighted for you and wish you all the very best as you begin this exciting new chapter!
Case Study The Customer Bettys and Taylors are a Yorkshire family business with a passion for making life’s everyday treats even better. They are the company behind Yorkshire Tea, Taylors of Harrogate tea, coffee and infusions, and the famous Bettys Café and Tea Rooms. The Challenge We’ve had the pleasure of working with Bettys and Taylors on a variety of projects over the years, and we were delighted when they approached us with a new request. This time, they required an assortment of sleeves for their latest range of chocolate boxes. The sleeves were designed to feature a variety of special messages, including Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas, Congratulations and Thank you, adding a personal touch to their beautifully crafted chocolates. As always, it’s a joy to collaborate with such an iconic brand and bring their creative visions to life. The Solution To create a superior sleeve that complemented the elegantly crafted new chocolate boxes, we began by printing swatches in various tints, enabling Bettys to select the ideal shade of yellow to complement the sleeve when wrapped around the box. The sleeve provided the perfect canvas for the embossed and foiled messages, adding a luxurious and sophisticated touch to the final product. Given that the design featured four different messages, we opted for digital printing. This method was the most cost-effective solution for producing multiple variations in smaller quantities while maintaining exceptional quality and detail. The end result was a beautifully finished sleeve that enhanced the charm of Bettys exquisite chocolates. “Thanks for your help and efficiency on our order it’s been greatly appreciated” Bettys and Taylors
What is your role at Platinum and what does your day-today look like? I’m the Sales & Marketing Director at Platinum, and my role is incredibly dynamic. My day-to-day typically involves a variety of tasks, including managing customer projects, reviewing quotes, working on tenders, and overseeing marketing campaigns. I also spend time checking copy, analysing figures and more. In addition to these responsibilities, I participate in regular meetings and strategic discussions, ensuring that our business goals are aligned across departments. How long have you been working in this industry, and what drew you to it? This year marks my 10-year anniversary with Platinum, which also happens to be my first experience in the printing industry. Although I’ve always worked in sales and marketing, I made the transition into print in 2014. The industry has always been close to my heart, as my parents founded Platinum the year I was born, so it’s a company and a field I’ve grown up around. What do you enjoy most about your job? What I enjoy most about my job is the variety. No two days are the same, and I enjoy the mix of tasks. I love working closely with customers, particularly on complex projects, and I also take great satisfaction in supporting the sales team and collaborating on marketing campaigns. It’s especially rewarding to see those campaigns succeed and contribute to our growth. What’s a fun fact about you that most people don’t know? A very long time ago, I appeared on C4 on a reality TV show…. What skills or qualities do you think are essential for success in your role? Success in my role requires a blend of strong communication skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to analyse data effectively. It’s essential to have a deep understanding of both the market and our products. Additionally, managing teams, having a creative marketing vision, and aligning sales and marketing efforts to drive revenue growth are all crucial elements in ensuring our continued success. What’s your favourite way to spend your free time? I enjoy spending time with my family, usually at Fountains Abbey, where my son likes to ride his bike around. I try to get out for a run when I can, and I enjoy a good skiing holiday when the opportunity arises. Do you have a favourite travel destination or a dream place you’d like to visit? I’ve got a few places on my list—Italy is somewhere I’d like to explore more, and Japan is definitely on the radar. I also wouldn’t mind a ski trip to Canada at some point. We also like to spend time in the Alps or head to the mountains for a summer break. If you weren’t in this profession, what would you be doing? With a degree in Anatomy, I had considered going down the route of a role in the medical profession. I did consider being a paramedic or medical sales before joining a graduate placement with Brake Bros. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you bring? I’d probably go with the essentials: some kind of shelter, a water purifier, and a medical kit. Spotlight Meet Samantha, our Sales and Marketing Director
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“Thank you to you, Samantha and the whole production team. We really appreciate you turning this around so quickly and making sure they arrive in time!” IFIS “Just to say a massive thank you to you all for turning round our emergency print job in just over 24 hours. Amazing service and advice. What a team, and the finished product looks great” Rugby League Cares “Platinum’s comms are brilliant, with a special mention to Paul C who was fantastic to work with, speedy and clearly knowledgeable.” Naqua “They are so good!!! Thank you!!” Phatstix
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