Having joined the BDH Tullford team in November 2021, Business Manager Jenny Kimber talks to us about her previous experience and what she’s most looking forward to in the coming months. 

Tell us a bit about yourself…

I didn’t get into the print industry until 2016. Prior to that, I was working in hospitality. I made a complete switch and learned everything from scratch. I had a family and wanted to have my evenings and weekends back. 

What was your first role in the printing industry? 

I was an account executive. I would process people’s enquiries, book in their jobs, order materials and so on. 

Occasionally, towards the end, I would go out and do site surveys and see if I could suggest ideas if people didn’t know what they wanted to do. I’d go and have a chat and point them in the right direction. 

Towards the end, I was doing a fair bit of production as well. I was learning how to cut things and produce posters and how to print boards. I was doing a little bit more than sitting at my desk and booking jobs. 

Do you have any specialisms?

Large format printing is probably what I’m best at. Large posters, large banners, large mesh posters that go on mesh fencing at building sites, large display signs, that sort of thing. I also helped with sorting out exhibition graphics. 

All over the place in the UK. We did have a couple of bits we had to send to Europe as well. For some of our larger clients, we had to send exhibitions graphics to Italy, and bits and pieces like that, so that was interesting. 

Coming into a business that does point-of-sale is a whole new ball game for me. I’m looking forward to learning that side of things. 

What is your role at BDH Tullford?

My job title is Business Manager and I’ll be providing support across the company, working closely with James [Fox] and David [Hutchins]. If problems arise in production I can jump in and sort them out. I can also manage large-format printer jobs because that’s what I’m used to doing.

Are there any aspects of the role that you’re particularly looking forward to? 

Learning about point-of-sale displays and learning how that works. 

I’m currently working through stock reports for James. It’s interesting to see all the different materials the company orders and what can be done. 

Have you noticed an increase in clients looking for sustainable printing options?

In the past, the price point was a little too high. But now people are more conscious and more businesses are moving in that direction. It’s becoming more accessible and people are beginning to think more about the items they use and what they can be used for.

If they’re only going to be using a product for a short period of time, such as a banner, they want to know that it won’t just go into the bin and into land fill. They want to know that it can be used again. 

We can already provide PVC-free products and recyclable goods but we want to offer more sustainable options across the board.

What are the biggest challenges in the print industry at present? 

The impact of coronavirus. People are trying to get back from that. I’ve noticed that, because businesses lost a lot of trade, their budgets have shrunk. For instance, shopping centres. They weren’t open during lockdowns so now they’re being more cautious with their marketing spend. 

We’ve been working closely with clients to help them find alternatives, so they can promote their campaigns without breaking the bank. 

Has there been an increase in material costs?

We are struggling to get materials into the country. In my last job, we needed some packing cardboard but I had to pre-order that 6 months in advance – and that was just regular cardboard. We’re hoping that things will calm down in January 2022 but we don’t know for certain. 

Tell us about life outside of work…

I have two daughters and I play netball for Norfolk United. I’m a goal shooter and we play at a regional level. 

I also help coach our under-14 academy squad. So I do that a bit, so I’m with them and with my senior squad and we play at the East Region level.