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And now for something
completely different.
or
Waddie's they think of
next.
By
Dave Elsmore
A good friend recently sent
me a
bunch of old papers (at least 3" thick)
relating to GB printers, lots of book
plates, beer & spirit labels and a big
bag of bill heading proofs. In amongst all
this was a page with "SPECIMEN BY
Waddie's"(shown below) perforated 3 times
vertically. One can only presume this was
applied to trade samples and the like. Maybe
you are reading this thinking hang on i
recognise this! if so, please let me know
any further details you may have so i can
add to this page.
Waddie's Of Edinburgh
*Waddies began life as a
traditional printing firm and has now evolved most
recently into web printing and direct mail. In
1860 Mr John Waddie and his younger brother,
Charles, established the firm at 11 Waterloo
Place, Edinburgh. By 1867 the need for expansion
forced Waddies to move to Queen Street in the New
Town and in the same year the brothers were joined
in the partnership by their sister, Lilias Waddie,
Mrs Ward.
In 1875 the factory moved to Stockbridge, where
they purchased ground and built new premises,
known as St Stephen’s Works. The more extensive
factory there, in its turn, had to be added to in
1893 and again in 1895. Waddies had secured a wide
reach of business even in those early days:
Preston Gas Company; Novar, Evanton, Ross-shire; a
tobacco and snuff factory in Fochabers; fire brick
and clay works in Newcastle and West Hartlepool;
shawl merchants in Bradford, cotton spinners and
waste dealers in Oldham, to name but a few.
Despite the large extensions and improvements made
to the Stockbridge factory over the years between
1875 and 1950, more than doubling the floor area,
the premises proved still much too cramped and it
was found impossible for Waddies to continue
expansion unless larger premises were found. In
1950, 97 Slateford Road was bought with a floor
area of nearly 100,000 square feet. The business
grew, relocated and in 1996 Waddies was acquired
from family trusts by its management team for a
total consideration of £16 million, backed with
funding from 3i plc and Bank of Scotland. At this
time, the Company operated from three distinct
manufacturing sites with the main site in
Edinburgh, now over 100 years old operating on
multi storeys. The sites were very much treated
and run as three separate businesses. As a key
part of the transformation process, in November
2000, the Company completed the £1.5 million
relocation from Edinburgh of two of its three
manufacturing sites. After investing an additional
£1.5 million in the new location, Waddies now
operates from two custom designed, state of the
art manufacturing and distribution facilities in
Livingston, supported by a London sales office.
* Edinburgh City of Print.
© copyright 2011
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