Our History
Pioneers in print (1836)
Pindar was founded in 1836, when George Kyte Grice, a journeyman printer, established a business in Scarborough. In the late 19th century, the sales territory stretched as far as a horse could draw a wagon load of paper – around 20 miles.
Family owned (1870s)
In the early 1870s, George Arthur Pindar, our present chairman's great grandfather, joined the company and subsequently bought the business from Mr Grice for just £500. Today, Pindar remains a family-owned business.
Pillar of the community (1930s-1940s)
After the turn of the century, George Arthur Pindar took control of the company, and outside of work, became a pillar of the community in Scarborough, with two mayoral terms in the 1930s and 1940s. He was made Alderman in 1935 and a Freeman in 1957.
George Thomas Ventress Pindar joined the company in 1949 and took control of the business from his father in 1954. He became a high profile figure within the industry and is recognised as being one of the principal pioneers of photo typesetting and computer-driven phototypesetting. Tom Pindar, Lifetime President, was awarded an OBE by the Queen in 1986 and became a Deputy Lieutenant of North Yorkshire in 1993.
Innovative (1970s-1980s)
Having revolutionised processes by introducing image and text databasing in the 1970s, our next big technological leap was the adoption of desktop publishing in the late 1980s. This provided the company with a further opportunity to enhance its product range. Pindar outshone its competitors through the innovative creation of bespoke software systems for catalogues and other content rich customers and markets. Pindar has installed over 2,000 systems within customer locations – resulting in cross media applications from print to the internet.
Seizing opportunities (1990s)
While much of the industry saw desktop publishing as a threat, it was seized upon by George Andrew Pindar, the present Chairman. He joined the company as a management trainee in 1979, subsequently holding a variety of positions before becoming Chief Executive in 1995 and Chairman in 1997. This period has seen huge growth, as the company has expanded in the UK through high-end databasing and in printing from digital to massive web presses, as well as overseas through its software business and in rapid response printing.
Expanding horizons (2000s)
The market for rapid response printing was well served by Pindar's acquisition of AlphaGraphics, a chain of business-to-business ‘quickprint’ franchise operations. Back in the 1980s, Pindar became the master licensee for AlphaGraphics UK and Ireland. Today Pindar is the major shareholder of AlphaGraphics Inc, a world leader in rapid response print and visual communications services and a leading franchise operation in the US.
A unique business partnership (2008)
Pindar Set was an integral part of the Pindar Group right up until this year when the business was sold to Yell. Since 1979 Pindar Set has been responsible for transforming the business of producing directories for Yell in the UK and more recently in Europe, US and India on behalf of the Yell Group.
Delighting customers
Pindar has throughout its history placed an emphasis on delighting its customers and offering them the very best service, evidenced in recent times with its Customer Service awards won at the Print Week and BPIF awards in 2007 and 2008 and summed up in wording taken from an ad earlier in the company’s history:
"It is the aim of Pindar Printers to operate this printing plant just as though it were a department of our customers’ business – in other words to produce quality work and give personal service economically."
