Andrea Norcott appointed MD as Bruce Podmore becomes chairman, and latest press is bedded in
Hot off the press…it’s all going on at greeting card print specialist Windles where a new state-of-the-art printing press is up and running, Andrea Norcott has been appointed MD, Michelle Mills has been promoted to sales manager and creative maestro Ian Kear-Bertie has gone up a gear to gain front cover status.
In a welcome and fitting move, Andrea Norcott has made the step up from sales director to become managing director with owner Bruce Podmore now taking on the role of chairman of the Thame-based print company.
“I feel very honoured to take the role of managing director,” said Andrea, who started with Windles as national sales manager in 2012 before becoming sales director in 2014. “I absolutely love the industry that we serve and am in a privileged position to be able to oversee the entire operation with a view to maintaining and improving our service level to our greetings card customers.
“I’m lucky to have worked alongside one of my best friends in Bruce, who is a constant source of inspiration, and I know I have some big shoes to fill!
“I’m hoping our chairman sees my appointment as an opportunity to get some well-earned time for himself after years of tireless hard work in building our wonderful manufacturing business.”
Meanwhile Michelle, who joined the company in 2007 and was previously new business development and marketing manager, has been promoted to sales manager.
She was happy to sing the praises of the significant new addition to the Windles family – a multi-colour cold foil Heidelberg Speedmaster 106XL Foilstar printing press which joins the 18-month-old KBA 106 six-colour press to form what Michelle described as “one of the most modern and technically-advanced press rooms in the world”.
Michelle added: “Albeit installed as a result of a devastating fire at the site last May, it’s so exciting to watch it run – it’s faster, more accurate, cold foil registration is perfect, and it enables running of holographic varnish and textured gloss coatings.
“Fortunately, there were no casualties during the fire. It’s history now, and we all pass on a massive thanks to our customers for standing by us.”
She explained the Heidelberg press boasts a vast range of features, delivering B1 and B2 printed sheets at phenomenal speeds, and with in-built inline cold foiling – a litho technique invented by Bruce over 20 years ago allowing as many foil colours as required to be printed on one image.
The latest additions to Paper Salad’s Hunky Dory range were among the first cards to be printed on the new Foilstar press and the publisher’s owner Karen Wilson expressed her “delight” with the results that will be unveiled at Spring Fair in Birmingham, 2-5 February.
Michelle said: “It’s faster, more accurate, cold foil registration is perfect, and it enables running of holographic varnish and textured gloss coatings.
“Thanks to its innovative components, the environmental benefits are something to write home about, and compliant with Windles’ longstanding environmental programme to deliver the most sustainable production.
“The press minimises energy consumption, emissions, paper waste and other waste. It sleeps in lower power mode adopting start-stop technology. It’s a perfect fit for the greetings industry who have an appetite for creativity and are environmentally conscious.”
Windles’ head of creative direction Ian has also gone up a gear to make the news as the keen cyclist has been featured on Cycling Weekly magazine’s first front cover for 2025.
Regularly heading off to mountains in Europe as a guide rider on routes and roads, the request came in from the specialist magazine’s editor so Ian went for a photoshoot in the hills of the Cotswolds, resulting in his starring role on the 2 January issue.
