Having seen the benefits that Corporate Membership of The Stationers' Company has bought Heidelberg, its managing director Gerard Heanue has decided to get more personally involved. Today he was Cloathed (formally taken into the Livery) at Stationers' Hall in the shadow of St Paul's Cathedral.
Heidelberg was the first to take up Corporate Membership ten years ago and it has used the facilities and been involved with many of the industry-relevant activities - round tables, debates and presentations – that the Company has put on since.
"It is the relevance of The Stationers' Company and the opportunity to meet with others in printing but also the wider communications business (designers, publishers, paper companies etc) that appeals to me along with the extraordinary heritage," says Gerard Heanue.
"It is just amazing to think that printers have come together within those walls for more than 400 years to discuss common issues and points of interest and that we are an on-going part of that story."
He will share his passion for the venue - the wood panelling, gallery of Masters' paintings and boards and coats of arms – with some Heidelberg customers during Ipex he told those in attendance at the ceremony.
"The location in the heart of London, the incredibly well maintained Hall and the affinity with the printing and communications sector mean this is the perfect place for an industry event," he says.
William Alden, Clerk of the Stationers' Company, says: "We are really delighted that Gerard wants to become more involved with the Company and to be a Liveryman in his own right. The strength of the Livery is that it does attract a wide range of very capable people who care about our industry and heritage and who will work to ensure we remain modern and forward-thinking, relevant to the multi-media age we live in."
Corporate Membership gives companies access to the facilities at preferred rates, representation at many of the Company events as well as offering Corporate Responsibility benefits by being allied to the educational and charitable work of the Stationers' Foundation.
With Gerard today at the Cloathing ceremony was his wife Elaine, his Liveryman sponsor Diana Thompson of Plus Point PR and seconder William Alden. Others Cloathed were Richard Ford from Spicers, Nicola Moran from Metsa Board and Colin Reeves-Smith, a retired publisher..
