ESSDEE

What ESSDEE does

ESSDEE (legal entity: Educational Art and Craft Supplies Ltd) is a UK-based specialty manufacturer of lino printing and scraperboard products, founded in 1945 in Sheffield by Stanley Dickson and currently headquartered in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. The company designs and produces a comprehensive range of printmaking supplies — core carving materials (traditional hessian-backed lino, PVC-based SoftCut, flexible MasterCut, and entry-level PrintFoam), a multi-tier EPDM and aluminium roller family (Standard, Professional, Soft Rubber, Fabric, Sponge, Aluminium Craft, and Wax), high-carbon-steel lino cutters, water-based block printing inks in 36 colors spanning standard, metallic, fluorescent, and pearlescent variants, heat-set fabric printing inks, archivability-grade Fine Quality British Scraperboard, plus packaged kits for beginners. Manufacturing is concentrated at the Kidderminster HQ, which has been solar-powered since a 2019 installation generating over 70% of facility electricity.

The company serves three documented customer segments — hobbyist and professional artists/printmakers (primary), educational institutions, and fabric/textile printers — through a horizontal segmentation approach. Distribution is dual-channel: direct e-commerce via essdee.co.uk alongside a global network of physical and online retail partners. Revenue is generated via unit-priced RRP transactions (rollers ranging from £6.85 to £28.09, inks and cutters in comparable low-ticket bands) with no subscription, licensing, or enterprise contract model in place. Brand marketing is content-led — a 'Meet the Printmaker' blog series, active Instagram/YouTube/Pinterest channels, an annual Print Day in May competition, and ongoing sponsorship of the Ironbridge Printmaking Competition — amplified through a documented ambassador roster of working artists in the UK, Belgium, and the US.

The business is privately held, founder/owner-operated with no disclosed external investors or parent company. Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees, and no subsidiaries, M&A activity, funding rounds, leadership changes, regulatory actions, or restructuring events are disclosed in the source material. Public ESG positioning is anchored in the solar installation, use of biodegradable/biodegradable-leaning raw materials, sustainable packaging, and a 2021 shortlisting for the Craft Business Best Sustainable Craft Company Award.

Name

ESSDEE

Legal name

Educational Art and Craft Supplies Ltd

Website

https://essdee.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ESSDEE (Educational Art and Craft Supplies Ltd) is a UK manufacturer founded in 1945, headquartered in Kidderminster, producing lino printing and scraperboard products — carving materials, EPDM rollers, water-based inks, cutters, and kits — sold globally via direct e-commerce and retail partners to artists, printmakers, educational institutions, and fabric printers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art and Craft Printmaking Supplies

NAICS

Printing Ink Manufacturing (325910), Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills (3221)

SIC

Pens, Pencils & Other Artists' Materials (3950), Paper Mills (2621)

akta.pro primary industry

Printing Inks (IMAEAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Colored, Art & Premium Paper Manufacturing (IMAMAEAG)

Keywords

• Lino printing supplies
• Block printing inks
• Scraperboard materials
• Printmaking rollers
• Fabric printing inks

Headquarters

HQ city

Kidderminster

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Art and Craft Material Sales: ESSDEE manufactures and sells a comprehensive range of lino printing, scraperboard, and block printing products. Revenue is generated through direct consumer sales via their e-commerce website and through distribution to retailers worldwide. The product range includes carving materials, rollers, cutting tools, inks, and kits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ESSDEE manufactures and sells a comprehensive range of lino printing and scraperboard products for artists and printmakers. The portfolio includes carving materials (Lino, SoftCut, MasterCut, PrintFoam, Mounted Lino), an extensive roller range, water-based block printing inks in 36 colours, fabric printing inks that heat-set permanently, and Fine Quality British Scraperboard. Products are manufactured at the company's HQ in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, and sold worldwide through direct e-commerce and a global network of retailers.

Product overview

Essdee is a UK-based manufacturer of art and craft materials focused on lino printing and scraperboard products. The product portfolio consists of core carving materials (Lino, SoftCut, MasterCut, PrintFoam), a comprehensive range of ink rollers (Standard, Professional, Soft Rubber, Fabric, Sponge, Aluminium Craft, and Wax Rollers), cutting tools and accessories, block printing inks in 36 colours (including Standard, Metallic, Pearlescent, and Fluorescent ranges), fabric printing inks, fine quality British Scraperboard, and various kits for beginners. The products are designed to make traditional printmaking accessible to artists of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to professional illustrators. Essdee manufactures most products at their HQ in Kidderminster, Worcestershire.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Traditional Lino Traditional hessian-backed linoleum made from natural materials such as linseed oil and wood flour. Biodegradable carving material suitable for printing on a wide range of paper and board.
• SoftCut Blocks Cream-coloured PVC-based carving material that holds fine lines and produces consistent, sharp prints. Suitable for younger and less experienced artists. Will not crumble or degrade over time.
• MasterCut White, soft and flexible rubber-like carving material that is extremely easy to carve. Ideal for fabric printing and stamp making, more flexible than SoftCut, and helps it print well by hand onto paper and fabric.
• PrintFoam Fun and safe foam blocks for younger users. Easily indented, give crisp prints, easily washed and re-inked. Introduction to block printing for beginners.
• Mounted Lino Traditional lino mounted onto 18mm fibreboard for added stability and ease of use during carving.
• Standard Rollers 70 Shore Hard EPDM rubber rollers with aluminium core, self-lubricating nylon bearings, and continuous steel shaft. Versatile for water and oil-based inks, available in sizes 50mm to 300mm.
• Professional Rollers 60 Shore medium-hard professional rollers with cylindrically ground surface for perfect concentricity. Hold greater quantity of ink and provide enhanced pick up and transfer for larger printing blocks. Available in 50mm–300mm sizes.
• Soft Rubber Roller 40 Shore soft rubber roller more forgiving on uneven surfaces. Provides excellent ink coverage with little effort and excellent pick up and transfer of ink.
• Fabric Ink Roller Rollers specifically designed for printing on textiles and fabric. Cylindrically ground to open the closed-cell structure and hold watery or slippery fabric inks effectively.
• Sponge Rollers Sponge rollers ideal for applying paint or ink to stencils or 3D surfaces. Washable with interchangeable roller design.
• Aluminium Craft Rollers Hard polished aluminium roller designed for rolling out hobby and craft materials such as silicone rubber, air-hardening clays and plasticine. Built to withstand high applied pressure.
• Wax Roller 25 Shore very soft EPDM sponge rubber roller with solid skin. Versatile for painting with cold wax medium, water-based media and printmaking. Can be pushed into textured areas.
• Lino Cutter Sets High-carbon steel cutters, sharp and durable, precision ground to optimum angle. Available in styles 1-10 and Style A (safety cutter), with ergonomic polypropylene handles and aluminium ferrules.
• Standard Block Printing Ink High-quality water-based block printing inks made with specialist ingredients for smooth flow, excellent coverage and vibrant prints. Available in 18 standard colours. Non-permanent, non-toxic and vegan-friendly.
• Metallic Block Printing Ink Water-based block printing ink with metallic finish. Available in 3 metallic colours, with enhanced tack and excellent transfer properties.
• Pearlescent Block Printing Ink Water-based block printing ink with pearlescent/shimmer finish. Available in 6 pearlescent colours with smooth flow and vibrant prints.
• Fluorescent Block Printing Ink Water-based block printing ink with fluorescent/bright colours. Available in 6 fluorescent colours.
• Fabric Block Printing Ink Water-based fabric printing inks specifically designed for use on fabric. Once dried and heat-set, the inks become bonded to the fabric for permanent prints. Available in 100ml tubes and 150ml pots.
• Fine Quality Scraperboard Fine quality British Scraperboard made in the UK since 1945. Card heavily coated with china-clay then over-printed with black ink, with a sharp scraper tool engraving lines through the surface ink to expose the white beneath. Archivable for 100+ years. Used by illustrators and professional artists worldwide.
• Scraperboard Tools High carbon steel scraper tools hardened and tempered for long life. 5 different cutter styles for fine lines, medium lines, dots, circles, clearing large areas, and cross-hatching.
• Coloured Foil Coloured foil for use with scraperboard artwork.
• Linocut Taster Kit Entry-level kit for beginners to try linocut printing.
• Lino Printing Essentials Kit Comprehensive kit containing essential tools and materials for lino printing.
• Fabric Lino Printing Kit Complete kit for printing onto fabric, including MasterCut, fabric roller, ink tray, and instructions.
• 3 in 1 Lino Cutter and Baren Kit Kit including lino cutters and handle that converts into a baren. Baren base doubles as storage for cutters (5 cutters, styles 1-5).
• Safety Hand Guard Hand protection tool designed to protect hands during lino cutting. Catches any slippage within the walls of the guard (sold as a set with 5 cutters, styles 1-5).
• Bench Hook Work steadying tool that keeps work safe on desk or work surface edges for tidy, safe working. Size 300 x 400mm.
• Ink Tray Ink tray for rolling out and applying block printing ink. Size 240 x 200mm.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ year archival quality for scraperboard products
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Ironbridge Fine ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESSDEE sponsors the annual Ironbridge Printmaking Competition. The ESSDEE team attends the event and awards prizes to outstanding printmakers. This partnership supports the printmaking community and builds brand awareness among serious artists.
• Print Day in MaycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint initiative with @printdayinmay Instagram account to run an annual printmaking competition. Entrants use ESSDEE products and share on Instagram. Winners receive ESSDEE product bundles. This partnership drives user-generated content and community engagement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Speedball Art Products: US-based manufacturer of printmaking supplies including lino cutters, blocks, rollers, and block printing inks. Directly competes with ESSDEE in the lino and block printing category, with overlapping SKU structure aimed at hobbyists and professional printmakers.
• Cranfield Colours: UK-based specialist manufacturer of printmaking inks for relief and other traditional printmaking processes. Direct competitor in the printing ink product category ESSDEE sells, with similar target customers in the printmaker community.

Broad incumbents

• Derwent (Acco Brands): UK-based manufacturer of fine art materials best known for pencils and graphic art supplies, with printmaking-adjacent products. Targets overlapping artist and student customer segments with complementary art materials.
• Dick Blick Art Materials: Large US art supplies retailer carrying lino, block printing, and printmaking products including private-label alternatives. Competes with ESSDEE on the global distribution stage via its broad e-commerce footprint.
• Royal Talens: Dutch art materials manufacturer (owner of brands such as Talens, Van Gogh, Amsterdam, and Cobra) offering printmaking inks and artist-quality paints. Overlaps with ESSDEE in the printing ink and artist materials category with global retail reach.
• Winsor & Newton: UK heritage fine art brand offering professional-grade paints, inks, and printmaking products. Competes with ESSDEE on printmaking inks and accessories while serving many of the same professional artist and student segments.
• Daler-Rowney: UK-based established art materials manufacturer offering a wide portfolio including printmaking inks, papers, brushes, and paints. Overlaps with ESSDEE in block printing inks and printmaking accessories but operates across a much broader art supplies portfolio.
• Faber-Castell: Global art and stationery manufacturer with a broad creative product range including printmaking and craft materials. Competes in the same retail channels as ESSDEE for artist and hobbyist buyers across multiple categories.
• Jackson's Art Supplies: UK-based retailer and supplier of artist materials including a wide range of printmaking supplies. Both a stockist of ESSDEE products and an indirect competitor via its own-brand and competing printmaking inventory.
• Staedtler: German manufacturer of writing, drawing, and art materials with global retail presence. Overlaps with ESSDEE in the broader art tools category and competes for similar institutional and hobbyist customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ESSDEE
• Facebookfacebook.com/essdeeuk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/essdee
• Instagraminstagram.com/essdee_uk
• Pinterestpinterest.co.uk/essdeeuk/_created

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ESSDEE