Ripe Digital

Ripe Digital, short-run digital printers near Bath

Ripe Digital is a digital printing company based in Corsham, in the south-west of England, on the outskirts of the city of Bath. It was founded in 1994 by Rik and Peter — whose initials give the business its name, RiPe — as a reprographics business. The company says its approach has always been to buy the best equipment and software available: it first invested in Linotype-Hell hardware and Apple Mac computers, and in 2004 it added its first HP Indigo digital press. It now runs its third HP Indigo press, the 7800, and has a studio equipped for finishing.

Printing and finishing work

The company's range covers everything from business cards, stickers, flyers and postcards to elaborate brochures and books and fine art Giclée prints. The firm says 99% of its finishing is done in-house, which allows it to control the quality of all its work. The finishes it offers include:

• PUR binding
• Staple binding
• Squareback binding
• Folding
• Creasing
• Foiling
• Laminating
• Duplexing
• Pad gluing
• Wiro binding
• Round cornering
• Encapsulating
• Digital cutting
• Drilling

The company says it has a particular fondness for challenging designs that require different finishes within a single job and for using new techniques.

Recognition at the Digital Printer Awards

Ripe Digital won the 'Creative Use of Substrates' category at the Digital Printer Awards with the project 'Caffeine', a complex PUR-bound self-promotional book produced for Pencil Studio. It also received the 'Supreme Award', the highest accolade chosen from all the winning projects across all categories.

Team and fine art specialisation

The company's structure combines roles in management, pre-press, press, finishing, office and fine art. Rik Penny and Peter Hannen are directors, along with Clive Humphries, finishing manager. George Penny has been pre-press manager since 1996 and Nathan Wilkins is press manager, as an HP Indigo operator. Julie Remington handles the office, invoicing, payments and despatches, and Annie Dodd heads up Giclée printing, the fine art side of the business.

Company and tax details

The company operates as Ripe Digital Limited, with its registered office at Unit 1, Park Lane Industrial Estate, Corsham, Wiltshire SN13 9LG. It is registered in England with number 3150935 and has VAT number 639 4470 14.

Location and contact

Unit 1, Park Lane Industrial Estate, Corsham, Wiltshire SN13 9LG · Phone: 01225 815030 · Email: info@ripedigital.co.uk · Hours: Monday to Thursday: 9:00-17:00; Friday: 9:00-12:30