*Waddies began life as a traditional printing firm and has now evolved most recently into web printing and direct mail. In 1860 Mr John Waddie and his younger brother, Charles, established the firm at 11 Waterloo Place, Edinburgh. By 1867 the need for expansion forced Waddies to move to Queen Street in the New Town and in the same year the brothers were joined in the partnership by their sister, Lilias Waddie, Mrs Ward.

In 1875 the factory moved to Stockbridge, where they purchased ground and built new premises, known as St Stephen’s Works. The more extensive factory there, in its turn, had to be added to in 1893 and again in 1895. Waddies had secured a wide reach of business even in those early days: Preston Gas Company; Novar, Evanton, Ross-shire; a tobacco and snuff factory in Fochabers; fire brick and clay works in Newcastle and West Hartlepool; shawl merchants in Bradford, cotton spinners and waste dealers in Oldham, to name but a few.

Despite the large extensions and improvements made to the Stockbridge factory over the years between 1875 and 1950, more than doubling the floor area, the premises proved still much too cramped and it was found impossible for Waddies to continue expansion unless larger premises were found. In 1950, 97 Slateford Road was bought with a floor area of nearly 100,000 square feet. The business grew, relocated and in 1996 Waddies was acquired from family trusts by its management team for a total consideration of £16 million, backed with funding from 3i plc and Bank of Scotland. At this time, the Company operated from three distinct manufacturing sites with the main site in Edinburgh, now over 100 years old operating on multi storeys. The sites were very much treated and run as three separate businesses. As a key part of the transformation process, in November 2000, the Company completed the £1.5 million relocation from Edinburgh of two of its three manufacturing sites. After investing an additional £1.5 million in the new location, Waddies now operates from two custom designed, state of the art manufacturing and distribution facilities in Livingston, supported by a London sales office.

* Edinburgh City of Print.