Sam Shannon, managing director of Deltor Communications, took over from the company’s founder and his father in 2016
The customer is king
Despite being a phrase that has been used a lot over the years, ‘the customer is always right’ is a principle that many companies operate under today, placing a key focus on what clients want and delivering this to them.
Multi-service Deltor Communications is one of these businesses, committing to helping customers achieve their goals since it first opened its doors back in 1976. Sam Shannon is the current managing director at the company, having taken over from its founder and his father in 2016.
Shannon has been with the company since he left school in 2000, starting out as an apprentice before working his way up through the print and production sides of the business to move into office work with estimating and stock management. After his parents retired in February 2016, Shannon became the company’s majority shareholder in May of the same year.
Deltor Comm-unications is based in Saltash, Cornwall
Under Shannon’s leadership, Deltor has continued to flourish, picking up a host of valuable contracts and retaining customers that have remained loyal to the company over the years. He cites the commitment of Deltor’s staff and their understanding of the company’s customer focused ethos as one of the main reasons behind this success.
“Key for us is that we have a strong sales team, which allows us to sell to the end user,” Shannon explains, adding: “We are very customer focused and, for us, the customer is king.
“This is seen throughout our business; all members of the team agree with and respect this approach.
Service levels for our customers are very high and as we are a one-stop shop with wide-format, digital, and litho, we have the whole gamut.
Service levels for our customers are very high. We are a one-stop shop with wide-format, digital, and litho, we have the whole gamut”
“If a customer wants to use us, they are not having to get the expertise of the product they want to use third-hand. More than half of our staff have been with us for more than 15 years so we have a strong skill set. We have a special blend of youth and experience, and this allows us to run with demand.”
Investment in quality
Shannon goes on to say that he has followed in his father’s footsteps in terms of investment in kit, committing to purchasing new equipment to help the company expand and grow.
“We have always tried to have the best kit, which is why we always try to buy new equipment,” Shannon says, adding: “If you buy new, you know what you are going to get.
“We look after all our kit, so we have total control over what we put in, the state it is in and what it is going to give on output. For us, our decision has always been based on quality and efficiency, rather than price.”
For us, our decision has always been based on quality and efficiency, rather than price”
Glancing at Deltor’s equipment portfolio, it is clear to see that this statement rings true. In place at the company’s site are a ten-colour Manroland with reel-sheet and a B2 Komori four-colour and coat for litho print, as well as a Ricoh 9100 on the digital side. In addition, the company runs an Anapurna from Agfa and a Roland DG roll machine to support its wide-format service offering.
“From stationary and leaflets through to prospectuses and large-format posters, no job is too large or too small,” says the company on its website
In terms of finishing, Deltor has a highly enviable arsenal that features a raft of equipment from Friedheim International. This includes two B1 MBO folders—one combination and one all-buckle—as well as an MBO B2 buckle machine, two B1 guillotines with stacking down systems, a laminator, and a perfect binding line for PUR.
Shannon explains that while it is important for modern print and sign businesses to adapt to the changing market, they need to ensure that they have the right kit in place so that they can take on the jobs that really matter.
“Unlike a lot of printers, we are still predominately litho against digital, which is quite unusual nowadays,” Shannon says, adding: “What we have seen is the litho side of the business remains strong. Competitors have become more reliant on digital and as markets change, this opens up more of a gap for us and our litho kit.
“Lead times are now reduced and machines are faster, so the pace of the industry has certainly picked up. Businesses that are successful now are those that have gone with the trajectory of speed.
“We’ve done that through continuous investment in people and machinery, as well as ongoing training to make sure we are ready for the faster pace of the market.”
Green goals
Aside from a commitment to the customer and new kit investment, Shannon also highlights the importance that Deltor places in the environment. The company is keen to be as green as possible and has taken a number of steps to ensure that it is achieving this goal.
“With every decision that we make, we want to have as minimal impact on the environment as possible,” Shannon says, adding: “Five years ago this December, we decided to put a 120kw service system on our factory. Since then, we have made more steps to reduce our carbon footprint.
“We can now measure and monitor electricity usage on any piece of equipment at one time. This allows us to see if anything is worn or degenerating, as well as identify spikes in power and check it against solar. This means we can calculate the carbon emissions of any product we produce.
Deltor are still predominately litho against digital, which is quite unusual nowadays
“We are printing from green energy produced on site and making sure that every product we make is done so with the smallest amount of energy possible.
“We can let customers know this information, as well as show potential clients what the energy savings will be compared to our competitors.”
With this, Shannon looks towards the future and what it may hold for Deltor, simply stating he wants the company to carry on the good work it is currently doing.
“I think the future holds much of the same for us,” he says, adding: “Nowadays, it’s about being as stable as possible. While things are rough elsewhere, if you have a stable business that is growing in an organic fashion, then you are in a good place.
“We want to keep with our investment plans; we are looking to install a new press at the end of the year and that will help us move further forward.”
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