Families merge print knowledge

TWO family-owned print businesses are set to merge in Portishead.

Portishead Press and Burleigh are joining forces to create a new design, print and digital communications business that combines 153 years of trading experience.

Portishead Press, founded 43 years ago, will return to its home town from Bristol to join Burleigh at its purpose-built headquarters at Harbourmead. B

urleigh, founded 111 years ago, has been at the building off Harbour Road since relocating from Bristol in 2006.

All 18 staff from Burleigh and Portishead Press will be retained and the existing directors will form a new board.

Greg Corrigan, current MD of Burleigh, becomes managing director of BurleighPortishead and is joined by Andy Povey and Fraser Ebbs of Portishead Press, who will become production director and sales and marketing director.

Greg, a former president of Portishead Chamber of Commerce, said: “This is a really exciting development for both companies and represents the creation of the first of a new generation of multi-media communication businesses in this region.”

The merger brings together the Corrigan and Povey families, both of whom have a long association with printing in Bristol. Greg is the fourth generation of the Corrigan family to head-up Burleigh since his great, great grandfather joined the business at the turn of the last century.

Andy’s father started Portishead Press in 1969 and took the firm into Bristol in 1974. Andy was joined in the business by Fraser, his brother-in-law, in 1995.

Both fathers, David Corrigan and Mike Povey, have now retired, but have remained actively interested and supportive of the companies and have pledged their full support for the newly-merged business.