W&G Baird marks 160 years at the cutting edge of technology

W&G Baird, one of Northern Irelands oldest original trading companies, is marking over 160 years in business.

But despite over a century and a half of heritage, the Antrim-based company remains committed to investing in cutting-edge technology and future-thinking.

A lot has changed since brothers William and George Baird sparked up their first printing press on Belfast’s Arthur Street in 1862.

The enterprising duo then expanded their portfolio in 1872 when they founded the Belfast Evening Telegraph. They later moved their print operations to Royal Avenue.

Today, W&G Baird uses multi-million-pound automated print and finishing machinery and are the first UK print company to incorporate robotics into its finishing department.

Today, W&G Baird stands as the oldest print company in NI.

Managing director Patrick Moffett, said: “We are hugely proud of our rich history, as a leading employer and innovator in this industry, with what we see as a bright future.

"We have evolved from a single letterpress in 1862 to be one of the country's largest sheet-fed print rooms, using the most sophisticated printing technology, including Robotics and specialist finishing equipment.”

Given its impressive record in business, W&G Baird has witnessed major milestones in their history, including having its premises damaged in both the blitz in 1941 and again in the 1970s when it was bombed during the Troubles.

In more optimistic times, the company feels honoured that it was selected to print the historic Good Friday Agreement document in 1988.

Patrick said: “We have a huge print service for a vast range of products from leaflets and business cards to bespoke books, magazines, signage and prospectuses.

"We operate a range of cutting-edge machines covering both litho and digital print which means we print a lot of books, magazines, brochures, catalogues and leaflets on a huge scale at the same time we can offer shorter print run jobs. We also do large-scale Display & Point of Sale commercial work allowing businesses to showcase their brand in a very impressive and professional manner.

“We are proud to have made a commitment to working towards being carbon neutral. Always at the forefront of technology, we are proving that large and small changes can make a difference in environmental impact, and we hope our client base will follow our example. We want to take people with us on our Carbon Neutral Journey to amplify awareness about sustainability and inspire positive action across the whole industry.”

Over the last decade, the long-established company has invested over £10 million in advanced technology.

With over 90 employees across two sites in Ireland and the UK, W&G Baird now operates one of the country's largest 24/7 sheet-fed print rooms using the most advanced equipment in the sector.

Patrick continued: “Despite a challenging two years during the pandemic, we are proud that we didn’t close production for a single day. We also played a key role in printing over 25million leaflets for Covid Testing Kits as well as, educational support packs for schools.

“I think if the Baird Brothers could see the company today, we hope they would be proud of the many milestones and successes this company has enjoyed for 160 years.”