Warners Midlands plc

Warners Midlands plc was originally founded as a newsagent in 1927 by Lorenzo Warner with his brother Ernie and sister Lily.

In 1938 Lorenzo Warner was appointed as sole Managing Director. Shares were split between him, his wife Edna and his sister Lily. A shop on West Street in the Lincolnshire town of Bourne, was bought, which included a print shop at the back of the premises.

In the 1960s Lorenzo’s son, Michael Warner, managed the printing side of the business and grew the company’s printing operations to unimaginable levels. Printing eventually moved to new premises at The Maltings, West Street, where it is still based today.

In the late 1980s Warners also moved into specialist magazine publishing and its sister company, Warners Group publications plc, has turnover of more than £20m per annum and publishes over 30 magazine titles.

The Company Today

Philip and Stephen Warner, sons of Michael Warner, have taken over Warners Midlands plc and its sister publications company. Warners Midlands plc is managed by Philip Warner, with Stephen Warner managing Warners Group Publications plc.

Warners Midlands currently occupies premises totalling 150,000 square feet on a site that covers 10 acres. Its fully equipped plant can handle just about every aspect of the magazine and brochure printing process from design through to mailing and dispatch.

In 2008 Warners was an employer of over 300 staff and turning over of in excess of £30 million per annum. Specialising in the printing and distribution of magazines, brochures and catalogues.

Recent Notable Achievements

2009 - Warners commitment to the environment

In the mid 1980s, before it was even law to do so, Warners Midlands plc introduced measures to ensure that the waste solvent and gases produced by its web printing process did not get into the atmosphere.

Since then, the environmental policy measures Warners Midlands plc have put in place to protect both the atmosphere and the local community have won awards and earned accreditation from leading environmental bodies.

Warners Midlands environmental achievements to date include:

• 22% reduction in energy use through investing in the most up to date technology.

• Eliminating the use of the solvent laden IPA (alcohol) on printing presses.

• Reduction in landfill waste down from 30 tonnes per week 10 years ago to less than six tonnes every six weeks. The company aim to achieve zero waste to landfill within the next 18 months.

In 2009 Warners Midlands plc was awarded ISO 14001 recertification. The company was first certified in 2006 and in 2009 passed its three-year renewal audit.

Warners Midlands plc is accredited by:

• PEFC - Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes

• FSC - The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards are the highest social and environmental requirements in the forestry sector.

• ISO 14001 - Certification to this international standard assures a proper environmental management system that is assessed by the British Accreditation Bureau

2008 - Honours for corporate social responsibility

Warners Midlands PLC won the coveted Corporate Social Responsibility Award in the Midlands and East of England heat of the 2008 National Business Awards.

2007 – Warners achieves its biggest ever print run for supermarket

Warners Midlands plc completed its biggest print-run. The print job was in excess of 5.5m colour catalogues for a national supermarket chain.

2005 - Warners builds new 4,000m2 factory

1999 - Warners Midlands plc invest over £2.5 million in a new Heidelberg M-600 full-width heatseat web press

1998 – Warners Midlands plc receives Investors In People recognition at their first attempt

1996 - Warners Midlands plc acquired the ISO 9002 quality guarantee

References

Frazer Simpson, Anne. Born with the Century: The life of Lorenzo Warner and the company he founded

Needle, Rex. A Portrait of Bourne: The story of a Lincolnshire market town in words and pictures

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