Family company in Belfast is acquired after nearly 40 years in business

From left, Richard Campbell, Michael Beckinsale, Harold Beckinsale snr and Harold Beckinsale jnr

Margaret Canning

Northside Graphics in Belfast has announced the acquisition of Media Design and Print, a move it said would boost turnover beyond £11m and employee numbers to over 80.

Northside was set up in 1988 as an online digital printing platform business, and last year received investment from Bestport Private Equity to accelerate growth, including through acquisitions.

Its purchase of Media Design and Print is the first deal following the funding boost.

As a result, the company and its 10 employees will move from its home on Newtownards Road to join Northside at Dargan Crescent.

Richard Campbell, Northside managing director, said the deal would strengthen its top position in the market.

“Northside Graphics currently offers the widest range of printed products within Northern Ireland, and this will be further enhanced by several bespoke products offered by Media Design and Print, bringing us a unique competitive advantage,” he said.

“As a highly respected business within the print industry in Northern Ireland, Media Design and Print also brings a huge amount of experience and a loyal customer base to the Northside business.

“Having recorded exceptional growth and success in recent years, we have every confidence that this acquisition will support our continued growth trajectory in the coming years.”

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Media Design and Print was established by the Beckinsale family in 2007, after they had first founded Media Marketing 20 years earlier.

Harold Beckinsale snr founded the firm, and his sons Michael and Harold are also partners in it.

Michael Beckinsale, partner at Media Design and Print, said: “Our acquisition by Northside Graphics is testament to our reputation for excellence in the printing sector, thanks to our outstanding staff and the support of our loyal customer base over the past 38 years.

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“We see great synergies between our business and Northside – both in terms of our product offering and our combined expertise in the digital print industry and the online arena, in which Northside operates so widely across the UK and Ireland.”

Northside Graphics operates four ‘Upload and Print’ websites in the UK and Ireland and has won many major awards over the year, including the Printweek award for UK Company of the Year in 2023.

It was advised in the transaction, which completed on Monday, by Davidson McDonnell. Media Design and Print was advised by Turley Legal.