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Paul Warren is a determined man. The managing director of start-up Digital Studio has big plans for his St Albans company: "I will only ever offer clients recycled stocks. If a customer needs something that I can't match with recycled material, I'll ask them to supply it to me as I won't be buying it," he says.

Warren, whose company officially opens for business on 1 September, is on a mission to raise awareness of the importance of being a green printer and, in his eyes, he’s in an industry where there’s much room for improvement.

If I can help raise awareness of the importance of using fully-recycled materials then hopefully growing demand will help to drive the cost down, he says. And Warren is adamant he will avoid using FSC and PEFC stock, claiming recycled is the only way to go. There’s no point in going half way so I won’t be promoting it.

The current paper situation for an environmentally-focused printer such as Digital Studio is one the managing director laments. Warren points out that he can order standard stock for next day delivery but for recycled stock, he may have to wait three to four days. He also claims that it is proving around 30% more expensive for the company to buy recycled stock but that’s a cost that we’re taking on.

While the printer’s stock offering is being pitched as its unique selling point, it also plans to actively reward customer loyalty by planting trees through a reforestation charity on its customer’s behalf.

Digital Studio is taking a stance that, by Warren’s own admission, sets limitations. There’s a massive risk involved, but I want things to change and because of that, I’m not going to change my stance.

The Digital Studio story started in January of this year but it almost ended before it began thanks to a spot of summer flash flooding. Warren returned from his holiday on 7 July to find the recently refurbished site had flooded overnight, nearly taking a newly delivered Xerox 700 – the UK’s first – with it.

I opened up the shutters to the Titanic and literally had to run across the room to pick up our Creo RIP before the tide of water could reach it, he half jokes.

The newly-laid laminate wood flooring was ruined, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage and also forcing the 700 engine out of use for several weeks. Fortunately for the company, no equipment was damaged but it was forced to outsource a considerable amount of work as it had already begun limited production for its key client.

Starting up
A troubled introduction will probably have done Warren some good because he has come from outside of the main print arena. Although he was working for a print business, he was a graphic designer. As he admits, if everything went well to start with he could have been led to falsely believe that he was entering an industry where things always go right.

With the current economic climate and a frequent number of company closures gracing the pages of this magazine, you’d be forgiven for questioning Warren’s motivation in starting up in the industry.

I’d been a freelance designer at a pharmaceutical company and for a number of years within the copyshop to the medium-size litho printer environment, he explains. At the time, the company he designed for was outsourcing to five printers at a large cost. Myself and the co-directors started talking and floating various ideas, including looking to buy a print company. We came to the conclusion that by setting up a company, I could easily carry out all their work for them, he says.

Guaranteed income
When people hear I’m a new start-up, they call me brave. They then hear about my environmental stance and think I’m suicidal, he says. But the nature of Warren’s start-up – working for his former pharmaceutical employer – is guaranteeing him a solid footing. By doing so, I’ve got a guaranteed annual income of £250,000 to start with on which we aim to grow.

Warren plans to focus on variable-data printing, a decision which influenced his investment in press machinery. The company has just put the finishing touches to its maiden kit purchases, installing the UK’s first Xerox 700 digital press and a Morgana AutoCreaser, Morgana Major Folder, EBA 72 Guillotine are also on order too.

With Digital Studio, Warren follows his father and godfather into the industry. It was a natural path and this company is a small fish in a very large pond, but one that is being streamlined at the moment, he says. If I end up being known as ‘that green printer that went under’, then so be it. Whatever the future holds for Warren’s Digital Studio though, there’s no denying that he has the determination to make it succeed.

DIGITAL STUDIO FACTFILE
Staff three (full time)
Managing director Paul Warren
Turnover aiming for £380,000 in the first year
Year founded 2008
Kit Xerox 700 digital, Morgana AutoCreaser, Morgana Major Folder, EBA 72 Guillotine