Park People: Simon Davie 

From printing for royal residences and Premier League clubs to bumping into Oscar winners at the office, the team speaks to Hobs Reprographics’ Regional Manager Simon Davie about his journey into printing and why Milton Park will always feel like home. 

Hi, Simon! Can you tell us a bit about Hobs? 

Hobs Reprographics first opened its doors in Liverpool back in 1969, starting out with just five people providing print services and drawing office equipment. Now, we’ve grown to 24 sites across the UK with over 200 staff, making us the largest independent, non-franchised printing company in the country. We’re also proud holders of a Royal Warrant for our services to the Royal Household. 

Hobs has been part of the Milton Park community for thirty years and was the first to move into building 154 after acquiring a local print and office supplies company which had been based here since the 1970s.  

What does your role involve?  

I joined Hobs as a Production Assistant in 1995, became Business Manager in 2010 and Regional Manager last year. I’m now responsible for looking after branches across the Midlands and South, including Abingdon, Reading, Birmingham, Bristol and a print-room in Henley. 

No two days are ever the same! I enjoy being on the road, spending time with different teams and getting stuck into challenges across the region. 

What do you enjoy most about working at Hobs? 

Without a doubt, it’s the people, both our clients and colleagues. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with some amazing characters, many of whom have become friends for life.  

If I had my time again, I wouldn’t change a thing about the journey so far! 

What inspired you to pursue a career in printing? 

My father was a printer for his whole career and even ran his own printing company, Eagle Press, right here at Milton Park! So, it was probably inevitable that I would end up working in print too. His knowledge and experience was invaluable, especially in the early years.  

When I was younger, I dreamed of becoming a pilot, but I’ll admit I probably lacked the brainpower and discipline for it! That said, I’ve managed to keep aviation close to my heart through some of the projects I’ve worked on for airlines. 

Are you working on anything exciting at the moment? 

We’re fortunate to work on a huge variety of projects and no two are the same. Right now, we’re printing and installing an exhibition at Kensington Palace. 

We’ve also done work for other Royal residences, Formula One teams like Williams F1 and TWR and created premium presentation materials for several Premier League football clubs. Of course, as an aviation geek, I always enjoy the work we do for some of the international airlines. We also printed Milton Park’s newly updated walking map!  

Do you have any standout career moments? 

When you’ve been doing the same thing for thirty years, there are inevitably lots of standout moments and Jeremy Irons walking into our Milton Park branch is definitely up there! He asked us to do some printing for a local club in Watlington, where he was President. It’s not every day you get to help an Oscar-winning actor! 

Over the years, I’ve had quite a few brushes with fame through work, which definitely keeps things interesting. 

With Hobs celebrating its 30th anniversary at Milton Park this year, what’s been the key to the company’s success? 

I think the key to the continued success of the business is innovation, the diversity of services we offer, our emphasis on customer service and the loyalty of our client base. The vast majority of our customers have been a part of the Hobs story for a long time. 

We’ve always aimed to keep innovation at the forefront of the business and have invested heavily in new technology; we were one of the first companies in the UK to introduce 3D printing! 

What do you enjoy about being based at Milton Park? 

It’s been fantastic to see how Milton Park has evolved over the years and work with lots of interesting occupiers across the Park. With great facilities, plenty of customer parking and space to combine production, admin and sales all under one roof, it’s the perfect base for businesses like ours. 

I also enjoy having plenty of green spaces for lovely walks when you need to get away from it all! 

Park People

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