Following on from the success of our Women in Print feature last week, we wanted to share more of the team members that help to make Reflex the fantastic company it is.
Our print sites around the UK are filled with hardworking, knowledgeable and experienced print and packaging specialists, many of whom have worked within the industry since leaving school or university – it’s fair to say that once you’ve been bitten by the ‘printing bug’ you generally have a career for life!
Each Reflex employee has a unique story to tell, here are just three:
James Payling
Print Technical/Originations Manager – Reflex Flexibles Division
My first job within print was packing labels back in 2002! At the time I just needed a job that would pay me better money, but I soon realised there were a multitude of opportunities in a range of different areas, and that it would be a great industry to grow my career in.
Over the next few years, I gained experience in a number of different areas, including platemaking, stepping and repro, and have been in my current role for the last four-years.
Day to day my job involves speaking to customers, sales reps, designers, studios and sites. It’s my job to make sure things get to press on time, and with no issues. It can be challenging when things don’t go according to plan, but finding creative ways to overcome challenges is part and parcel of the job.
What I most love about working in print is everything! I absolutely love the variety and that I’m involved at every stage of the process; from design stage right the way through to seeing the product on the shelf. There’s only one thing I’m not so keen on…doing my expenses!
Sharon Preston
Site Operations Manager – Reflex Boston
I started in the print industry in 1995 as a Customer Service Executive for a label company, and three years later was promoted to Customer Services Manager. I’ve always loved dealing with customers and this was a great way for me to learn about print whilst growing my career at the same time. I became the Reflex Commercial Operations Manager in 2009 and two-years later was made the Site Operations Manager.
I absolutely love the diversity of the print industry. No two days are ever the same, and even after over 20-years in the business I’m still regularly learning new things! There are some really exciting innovations in the packaging world right now and Reflex are right at the forefront of these developments.
In terms of a career within print, I would say that confidence really is key. Be assertive, work hard and you’ll go far!
Jonathan Jennison
The Colour HIVE Colour Manager – Reflex Osset
Whilst covering a course on pre-press at college over 30-years ago, I distantly remember enjoying analysing print test results and discussing the results. On leaving college I applied for a job as a Digital Artworker with Reflex (which was a team of three at the time!) and have been here ever since.
My current job is to help manage the colour standards within the business, and I’m involved with anything and everything to do with colour. This includes training on software, processing substrate profiles, passing customer verifications and running colour gamut trials on press.
The combination of digital data and physical print can be challenging – switching from one to the other. There are inevitable variables with mechanical processes which are at odds to the precise nature of digital outcomes, but I get a genuine buzz of satisfaction when a project goes well. Data management and good housekeeping are taken very seriously at Reflex, which is vitally important for our customers.
I’ve been so lucky to have worked within a knowledgeable team who are all pulling in the same direction since I joined Reflex, and this definitely helps with job satisfaction.
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