Freelance Print Staff closes – Printweek

The temp agency provided freelance cover for trained printing roles across England and Wales, with Doel – a printer of more than 30 years’ experience – also taking on work himself.

At its height, the agency had a network of 15-20 qualified pre-press, design, print and finishing professionals on its books.

FPS, established in 2013, officially closed its doors in April 2024.

Doel told Printweek that he was proud to have been able to run the business for more than a decade, and to give back to the industry he joined when he was 16.

“To be able to run a business for more than 10 years was always a bit of a dream, especially in a tough industry,” he said.

“To be able to offer something different to the industry was important to me, and to be able to give back. There were a lot of people that we helped along the way, and I felt we did make a difference.”

Speaking by chance to a recruitment company, Doel was recently gratified by the recruitment professional’s shock at FPS’ success rate in placing its people.

“They were quite astounded by what we’d achieved as a small business,” he said.

“To find out that we were not just doing well, but incredibly well in the eyes of what I’d class as ‘the professionals’ was really nice.”

While successful until the pandemic – and continuing to run throughout Covid – FPS was unable to recover from the post-Covid rationalisation that took place in the industry.

“We found that everyone had scaled their businesses back. Some of the really smart [print bosses] had also rebuilt their businesses in a completely different way, in a lean and structured manner,” Doel said.

“When you work smarter, you don’t need someone to back you up – which is what we were.”

The end of FPS has not meant the end of Doel’s time in the print industry – far from it, in fact, as ex-client Dayfold has immediately brought Doel on as operations manager for its new luxury packaging business.

One of FPS’ early clients, Doel and Dayfold had long had a good relationship; then, once he had helped the company set up its new luxury boxmaking business, Del Simmons, Dayfold’s managing director, invited him on board.

Doel added: “It’s always been a business I’ve got on well with – they’re very high quality.”