John Watson OBEJohn Watson OBE
  • About John
  • A Lifetime In Printing
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A Lifetime In Printing

Printing has always been in the blood for John Watson. He entered the business in 1968 having excelled in printing at college in Leeds before returning to Glasgow to join the family firm.

He was appointed Managing Director at the young age of just 28 as the business continued to build a fine reputation for quality and reliability in the commercial market with fair prices and with a loyal and hardworking city workforce.

During his time in charge he transformed the business from a run-of-the-mill stationers in the city’s St Vincent Place and small commercial printers in Townhead to a truly global player in printing, whose skills – particularly in the area of label printing for the whisky and spirits industries – meant the expertise of the Company was in constant demand.

He was also appointed a Fellow of the Institute of Printing at the age of 38 and was External Assessor to the Glasgow College of Printing and Napier University, Edinburgh.

A devoted father to Four Sons – Angus, Sandy Fergus and Finlay – he has recorded notable success away from his business life. A keen golfer he is also a national gold medal winner in Winter Pentathlon and a black belt in karate.

JW-OBE-QUEENwideThe highlight of his life in business came in 2006 when he was awarded an OBE for “Services to the Printing Industry and Charitable Purposes in Scotland” making the trip to Buckingham Palace with his family to receive the Honour from Her Majesty The Queen.

In 2014 he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and in 2015 was named Scottish Entrepreneur of the Year in the keenly-contested Scottish Business Awards in front of over 2000 people at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

By the time of his retirement in 2015 he had completed 50 years at the “coal face” of the printing industry and had seen unparalleled change in the industry.

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  • About John
  • A Lifetime In Printing
  • History
  • Giving Something Back
  • Gallery
  • News
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