Business - Appointments

Hollywood Monster has underlined its commitment to digital print by employing eight new recruits and creating a brand new digital print sales team.  The new new recruits have joined Hollywood Monster in response to increased digital print demand.  The company plans to win significant new business across the UK.

Joining the company's rapidly expanding workforce based in Tyseley, Birmingham, are Dan Whitford, sales manager, Chris Kelly, sales executive, Mike Clarke, project manager, Richard Green, quality manager, Richard Hinckley, business development manager, Steve Allen, installation manager, Paul Marsh, project manager, and Brad Davies, senior creative designer. The creation of the new team brings the company's total workforce up to 80.

Hollywood Monster's managing director, Tim Andrews, comments, "We are very excited about the new team and our drive to secure a greater share of the digital print market. It marks a huge investment on our part but we are confident that this is the right move for our future success. The aim of the team is to look into bettering communication with our existing clients as well as welcoming new ones on board.

"The combination of having the right people in place, alongside our recent investment in the latest technology, means we are geared up for the Olympic London 2012 work we've won and will be able to secure further new business to drive Hollywood Monster forward."

He adds, "Increasing the digital sales team is in an effort to move the company to the next step. We believe in service as a journey and, with a dedicated projects team already in place, a dedicated sales team brings a great balance. We are also proud that in these times, when jobs are scarce, that we can promote job creation and investment in people in Birmingham."

Annual turnover is expected to increase by around £1 million to £6.5 million this year. A business improvement project designed to provide clients with a better service but also make the company more efficient is paying major dividends. It is also working towards the Quality Assurance standard ISO 9001.

The company has invested £2 million in the latest technology and state-of-the-art equipment to enable it to widen its services to customers – a key ingredient in its current growth.

Tim concludes, "More and more customers are recognising and appreciating the quality of our work and Hollywood Monster has gained a great reputation for delivering projects on budget and on time. As the business grows, so will our people and that - particularly in this tough economic climate - is one of the most satisfying aspects of the success we are currently enjoying."

Products produced by the company include banners, building wraps, billboard posters, backlit skins, flex face signs, wallpapers, exhibitions, back drop and displays.   Hollywood Monster works with major companies including Next, Virgin Media, LilyWhites, Ann Summers, Coach, Whistles, HMV, Westfield, Carillion, Morgan Sindall, Lovell Homes, Redrow, Bovis Homes and Barratt Developments.  Sectors it is active in include commercial and residential property, construction, retail, corporate, exhibition, outdoor media, event, stadium, museum and theatrical.

For more information, please visit www.hollywoodmonster.co.uk.

PaperlinX Limited has appointed Richard Barfield as Group Chief Financial Officer, effective 1st June 2012.  He will be bases in the United Kingdom.

“Richard is a highly experienced and well respected Chief Financial Officer who has recently completed the turnaround and sale of Bezier Group in the UK. His experience and track record of improving the fortunes of businesses through restructuring and well considered management of the balance sheet will be invaluable to PaperlinX”, said Toby Marchant, PaperlinX Chief Executive Officer.

Richard was previously Chief Financial Officer of two listed companies, Northgate Plc and Spring Plc, and his earlier career involved roles at KPMG Peat Marwick, SmithKline Beecham and Bell South.

SA International (SAi) - a leading provider of solutions for the professional sign making, large format digital printing and CAD/CAM for CNC machining industries - has hired Dean Derhak as a new senior product manager. Dean brings more than 10 years of successful product marketing experience and a strong background in the wide format digital printing industry to SAi.

"Hiring Dean enables us to strengthen our growing product offerings and enhance SAi's ability to deliver value to our customers around the world," states Don Feagan, President and COO, SAi. "Dean's vast product marketing experience and background in the industry is a perfect fit for where we intend to take our company in this time of growth. We’re very excited to have Dean on board."

Dean has been in the wide format industry since 1995 and has held positions in product management, marketing, sales, engineering, and technical support. Dean has more than 20 years of experience in computer-related technologies in addition to managing his own Internet consulting business. Most recently, he held product and marketing management positions at ONYX Graphics, Inc. where he was responsible for winning numerous customer-choice “best product” industry awards. He earned a bachelor's degree in mass communication from the University of Utah and is an AIPMM certified product manager.

Sihl Direct UK has appointed Craig Barker as its new logistics and technical manager.  Craig will be based in the Altrincham UK head office, where he will be responsible for the warehousing and order processing as well as pre- and post-sales technical support.

Craig has joined Sihl Direct UK following a period of time as a self-employed photographer. Prior to this he held several positions at Ilford, where his final position was as a systems technologist developing new digital products in the desktop and wide format Ilford product range, as well as handling systems and procedures to help manage the running of the business.

“Craig brings an awful lot of experience to our company,” says Ian Turnbull, Operations Director at Sihl Direct UK. “He has worked for years at the coal face of this industry, dealing with photographers and working extensively with photographic-specific products as well as display and POS media.”

Craig Barker adds, “I am really looking forward to the challenge of working at Sihl Direct and feel that I can bring a lot to the company. I am already familiar with many of the products and hope that I can be a real asset to the company and our customers, particularly with my specific photographic experience.”

Craig started on 1st May and his first task is to take over the responsibility of running the warehouse and distribution to supply the UK market quickly and efficiently. “New IT systems are in place and with orders coming in and good people joining us, Sihl Direct is already starting to establish itself as one of the leading media providers in the UK,” concludes Turnbull.

Richard Barham has joined Xaar in the role of sales and marketing director.

Richard joins Xaar from Agfa Graphics where he held a range of senior sales, marketing and management positions for over 25 years. Most recently, as vice president of Agfa’s Inkjet Division, he was responsible for driving growth, quadrupling turnover to over €150M and integrating a major acquisition.

“In the past, as an inkjet systems builder, I worked with many different printhead suppliers including Xaar; its future roadmap and the strength of the intellectual property (IP) and development team convinced me that this was a great team with a bright future.  This shows how strongly I believe in Xaar’s technology,” says Richard.

He continues, “It’s a great company with great technology and amazing IP. Xaar is undergoing rapid growth due to the capabilities and potential of its printheads. In addition to helping our partners build successful products for a range of graphics, packaging, ceramics, décor and coding and marking applications, we are actively investigating new market opportunities. This is an exciting time to be joining the organisation.”

Ian Dinwoodie, Chief Executive of Xaar, adds, “I am very pleased to welcome Richard to the Board. His extensive experience will help drive our continued expansion into new industrial inkjet markets.”

Hexacomb, a subsidiary of Boise Inc. and a manufacturer of paper-based packaging and graphic display boards, has appointed Scott Daniel as president of Hexacomb. 

“Scott’s demonstrated leadership and results-oriented approach are assets to our growing company,” said Robert A. Warren, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Boise Inc.

Daniel joined Hexacomb in 2005 as the vice president of operations. During the past seven years, he has been responsible for improving plant operations and profitability. The lean manufacturing practices that were implemented during his tenure resulted in a significant increase in operational efficiency.

Daniel also supported the company’s new product launches - including the Falconboard graphic display line - by effectively integrating new production into existing facilities in North America and Europe.

“Exceptional customer service and increasing our product reach into new market segments and geographies will continue to be Hexacomb’s priority,” said Daniel. “Hexacomb’s recent acquisition by Boise gives us access to a tremendous number of resources to help propel us forward. I look forward to working closely with both the Hexacomb and Boise teams to achieve our objectives.”

Hexacomb products are made with 100% paper (all natural, renewable virgin and post consumer recycled fibres) and engineered into a proprietary honeycomb configuration. The products offer superior printing surface and excellent strength for both packaging and printing applications. 

In addition to his experience in paper-based product manufacturing, Daniel spent 17 years in operations for a leading supplier of automotive interiors and consumer electronics.

He has a master of business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a bachelor of science in industrial engineering technology from the University of Dayton.