Market leader in print trade
Russell Denny, right, who has died aged 85
Tributes have been paid to the ‘hard working and caring’ co-founder of leading independent print specialists Denny Bros who has died aged 85.
Russell Denny launched the business with his brother Douglas in the garage of their Bury St Edmunds home in 1945.
The enterprsie went from strength to strength gradually expanding to larger sites and established the award winning Fix-a-Form process.
His son Andrew , a director of the Denny Bros Group, said: “He was ever so hardworking with a dry sense of humor and very caring.
“He was quite quiet and used to think a lot. He was always active doing things and was great fun.”
Born in Hawstead and brought up in Bury, Mr Denny’s enthusiasm for printing started aged 14 when he bought his first printing press.
Andrew explains: “He did odd little jobs for people and whenhis brother came out of the navy he said ‘I’ve got some demob money, let’s see if we can invest that and earn a living from it’.
“The two of them worked every hour under the sun to begin with.”
They started in the garage at the back of the family home and flourished - moving to larger sites across the town before establishing its current headquarters, in Kempson Way, more than 10 years ago.
The group now employs about 120 people.
In the late 1970s, it devised the multi-page leaflet-label combination Fix-a-Form.
Andrew said: “He loved all things mechanical. When we first started Fix-a-Form, my father had to develop the machines which we needed to produce the forms. We still use some of his ideas with the machines now.”
During the last 10 years, Mr Denny remained involved in the business as a non-executive part time director.
His interests included motor bike racing and flying.
Andrew said: “In his younger years he used to race and in another life he could have been a pretty competitive motorcycle racer.
“He had to stop because it was a pretty dangerous sport and the business needed a lot more of his attention.”
In his 50s he learnt to fly light aircraft and held a pilot’s licence.
Mr Denny leaves his wife Winnifred as well as his three children and six grandchildren.
His children Graham, Maureen and Andrew followed him into the business and are now directors. His funeral will be held on Monday at West Suffolk Crematorium at 3pm.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Bury St Edmunds
Thursday 20 June 2013
Today
Thunderstorm
Temperature: 13 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 11 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South west
