中文Kettering-based Timsons Engineering, a name synonymous with British book press manufacturing for over a century, has been acquired by Steve Fyfe, CEO and founder of Canada-based Magnum Digital Solutions — and the revival is already delivering results. Clays, the UK’s largest single-site book printing facility, has ordered two new Timsons Zero Make Ready presses, marking the first new machine sales since the brand’s extended period of uncertainty.
A Personal Connection Driving the Acquisition
Fyfe’s acquisition of Timsons is deeply personal. Prior to founding Magnum Digital Solutions in 2009, he served as managing director of Timsons North America for nearly 20 years. He describes himself as someone who “bleeds Timsons red” — a phrase that captures both his professional heritage and his emotional investment in the brand’s future.
The acquisition was completed towards the end of 2025, when Fyfe purchased the business from Jane Brown, granddaughter of founder Arthur Richardson Timson. The transaction brings Timsons back under independent ownership after years of fragmentation that saw parts of its product line transferred to Kolbus in 2015, following the failure of Timsons’ digital press strategy.
Rebuilding the Team and the Product Range
Former Timsons technical sales director Jon Walker has already joined Magnum as European sales director, having started in January 2025. Walker brings more than 20 years of Timsons experience, followed by a stint at Kolbus after it assumed responsibility for parts of the Timsons product range including the T-Fold. His return to the Timsons ecosystem is significant: he represents the institutional knowledge that is essential for reviving a specialist manufacturing operation.
The Kolbus restructure has also created an unexpected opportunity. In addition to the Timsons acquisition, Magnum has acquired Kolbus’s digital finishing assets, specifically the digital folder technology. Walker confirmed: “The Rotary FlexFold will complement the range of FlexBook digital finishing devices that Magnum currently offer from their facility in Canada, but will be manufactured in the UK at the Timson headquarters based in Kettering.”
The Rotary FlexFold comes in narrow and wide web versions up to 1,524mm (60 inches) width and runs at 300 metres per minute (1,000 feet per minute), aligning with the output speeds of high-speed digital web presses. This specification positions it as a finishing solution that matches the production capabilities of modern digital book manufacturing lines.
Clays Orders Two New Presses
The most tangible evidence of Timsons’ revival is Clays’ decision to install two new Timsons ZMR (Zero Make Ready) book presses at its Bungay facility. Clays deputy managing director Ian Smith described the investment as part of a continued partnership that reflects the company’s long-term commitment to innovation and operational excellence.
“Following the successful introduction of our latest technology, we are pleased to have two further zero-make-ready text presses from Timson already on order,” Smith said. “A Royal-sized press is expected at the start of next year, followed by another B-format machine at the end of 2027. These investments will be truly transformative, significantly increasing our production capacity and efficiency while reinforcing Clays’ position as a leading manufacturing partner for publishers.”
Manufacturing Capabilities and Future Plans
Timsons Engineering operates its own foundry and machine shop at the Kettering facility, employing approximately 60 people. The foundry capability is particularly noteworthy: it means the company can produce cast components for its presses internally, reducing dependence on external supply chains and maintaining the quality control that book press manufacturing demands.
Walker emphasised the positive narrative around the revival: “It’s a nice story about reviving the business and brand, and for UK manufacturing, and we are re-opening the apprentice scheme as well.” The apprentice scheme represents an investment in the next generation of skilled manufacturing workers — a critical need in a sector where specialised engineering knowledge is increasingly hard to find.
The new Timsons intends to offer an upgrade path to its substantial existing customer base worldwide, while also growing the third-party manufacturing side of the business. This dual strategy — serving existing press owners while developing new revenue streams — reflects a pragmatic approach to building a sustainable manufacturing operation.
The CPI Joint Venture Dissolution
Walker also confirmed that the TimsonsCPI joint venture agreement is being dissolved. The venture, which was conceived to prove that Timsons could still manufacture presses, achieved its demonstration purpose but created an unintended complication: some potential customers were reluctant to share investment plans with a firm co-owned by a competitor. The dissolution removes this barrier and should make it easier for Timsons to engage with prospective buyers on a straightforward commercial basis.
Significance for the UK Print Manufacturing Sector
The Timsons revival matters beyond the immediate business transaction. British manufacturing has lost significant capacity in specialist engineering over recent decades, and the return of book press production to Kettering represents a counter-trend that few would have predicted. Fyfe’s combination of personal commitment, industry knowledge, and access to Magnum’s digital finishing technology creates a platform that integrates traditional press manufacturing with modern production requirements.
For the book printing industry, the availability of new Timsons ZMR presses — machines designed specifically for zero-make-ready book production — is a significant development. As publishers increasingly demand shorter run lengths and faster turnaround times, press technology that eliminates make-ready waste and downtime becomes not just desirable but essential for competitive book manufacturing.
Source: Printweek — “Timsons acquired, Clays orders two presses” (13 July 2026)
