Precision Proco Group has made some directorship changes as it moves towards establishing a single group board.

The firm was formed through the merger of Precision Printing, Proco and Prime Group two years ago, which was followed by the acquisition of fine art specialist WKG.

Just over a year ago the business acquired Photobox’s production hub, and the trade finishing wing of Cliftons Bookbinders.

CEO Gary Peeling described the changes as “housekeeping” measures as the group simplified its structure and operations. 

He told Printweek: “We are moving to one single entity at some point this year.

“We had five operating companies with their own boards which we don’t need.  

Later this year we will have one, with one board, basically the group board.”

A filing made at Companies House at the end of last month stated that Jon Tolley, chief innovation officer and former CEO of Prime, ceased to be a director of Precision Proco on 25 January. 

However, Tolley remains with the group and is still a shareholder. 

He said: “The different brands are being pulled together to simplify the proposition and make it easy [for customers]. I’m focusing all my efforts on growing the on-demand side.”

Other filings related to Paul Mason, group commercial director at Precision Printing, who ceased to be a director on 31 March. Mason also remains with the business. 

Production director Chris Pinborough ceased to be a director on 5 August. Peeling said he had moved on and had left the firm. 

Tolley’s brother Adrian, who was production director at Prime, had already resigned his directorship in March of this year, and has retired. 

For the pandemic-impacted eight months to 31 March 2021 Precision Proco Group filed maiden sales of £32.4m and made an operating profit of just under £1.4m. 

The business offers trade printing services via its Where The Trade Buys (WTTB) operation and variety of automated, on-demand marketing production services for leading brands through Precision Proco.

It operates across four sites – Sheffield, Sunderland and two in London – having already consolidated the former Prime site in South Normanton into its existing facilities. 

Peeling and chief operating officer Jon Bailey are the biggest shareholders in the group. 

Bailey added: “We’ll be consolidating more over the next six months because having five brands and five different companies is just not efficient. 

“We’re not contracting or reducing in size, just consolidating the legals. The simpler we can make it, the more resources we can put into innovation and all the good stuff.”