Our Story: 40 Years of Print & Direct Mail in Yorkshire
Four decades of investment, growth and specialist expertise - built on the same foundation: consistent quality, honest relationships.
Fretwell was founded in 1980 in Keighley, West Yorkshire - a town with deep roots in manufacturing and a tradition of practical, well-made things. We started as a commercial printer serving local West Yorkshire businesses, producing leaflets, letterheads and stationery on a single sheet-fed press. The founding family's belief was simple: do the work right, be honest with your clients, and the business will look after itself.
Over the following decade, direct mail emerged as a high-growth channel for charities, financial services companies and membership organisations. Fretwell recognised the opportunity early and invested in enclosing and sortation equipment in the early 1990s, becoming one of Yorkshire's first single-site operations capable of handling print, personalisation, enclosing and postal submission under one roof. That decision defined the direction of the business.
The business has been family-owned throughout its 40-year history. That matters because it shapes every commercial decision we make. We do not have to balance short-term shareholder returns against long-term client relationships. We invest in equipment, people and certifications because we are building something for the long term - not managing it for an exit. The clients who have been with us for twenty-plus years are the best evidence that this approach works.
Four decades, one site
Key moments in the Fretwell story - from a single press to a full-service national facility.
Founded in Keighley
Fretwell began as a local commercial printer serving West Yorkshire businesses from a single sheet-fed press. The founding principle - consistent quality, honest relationships - has never changed.
First direct mail capability
Investment in enclosing and sortation equipment allowed Fretwell to offer end-to-end direct mail - print, personalise and post under one roof. This was the foundation of the mailing house we operate today.
ISO 9001 certification
Formal quality management certification recognised Fretwell's documented processes and gave major institutional clients - charities, financial organisations, NHS trusts - the assurance to commit to long-term relationships.
Three-ISO milestone
ISO 14001 environmental management and ISO 27001 information security certifications followed, reflecting growing client demand for environmental responsibility and data security assurance across the supply chain.
Heidelberg digital presses
The addition of FOGRA-certified digital presses alongside the litho floor brought variable data and short-run capability up to litho-grade colour standards - opening new possibilities for personalised campaigns at any scale.
Full-service operation
Litho, digital, large format, packaging, vehicle graphics and a complete mailing house - all from the original Keighley site, now substantially expanded, and still family-owned.
Where we are today
Today, Fretwell's Keighley facility covers over 50,000 square feet of production space and houses a complete range of print and mail equipment. Our B2 Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 75 and CX 74 litho presses share the floor with FOGRA-certified Heidelberg Versafire digital presses, multiple high-speed inkjet personalisation lines, wide-format inkjet presses, and a complete mailing house with camera-verified multi-way enclosing.
Three ISO certifications - 9001, 14001 and 27001 - are independently audited and maintained, alongside Royal Mail Approved Mailing House status and Mailmark accreditation. FSC chain-of-custody certification covers our full paper purchasing range. Every accreditation we hold is maintained because our clients need it - not as a marketing exercise.
