We are Reeds

What We are Reeds does

We are Reeds (legal entity: Reeds (Cumbria) Ltd) is a Cumbria-based, full-service integrated marketing agency offering commercial print, signage, web design, digital marketing, and direct mail services under one roof. Founded in 1885 and operating with 11–50 employees across offices in Penrith (headquarters and production facility) and Carlisle (creative hub), the company serves primarily agricultural, healthcare, tourism, public sector, and general B2B clients across Cumbria, Lancashire, Northumberland, and South West Scotland, with UK-wide reach for direct mail and select web clients.

The company's product surface spans six core service lines: (1) commercial printing — brochures, flyers, business stationery, posters — using litho/digital presses and the newly installed HP Latex R2000 wide-format printer capable of 2.5-metre graphics; (2) signage — exterior, interior, wayfinding, and museum displays with in-house Trotec laser cutting; (3) website design and development — bespoke builds on Craft CMS with Craft Commerce e-commerce capabilities from £10,000, plus API/CRM integrations, multilingual stores, and WooCommerce migration services; (4) design services — brand research, visual identity, and design for print/signage; (5) digital marketing — SEO, social media, and content marketing; and (6) direct mail — end-to-end print-to-post campaigns from 500 to 50,000 items, automated via Quadient DS-85i fulfilment hardware and distributed through Royal Mail.

Reeds generates revenue through project-based fees for design, web, and print work, supplemented by ongoing hosting and support retainers for Craft CMS sites. The go-to-market is consultative enterprise field sales with a dedicated account management model, targeting long-term partnerships rather than transactional volume. Following a 2025 management buyout from parent conglomerate H&H Group, Reeds invested £200,000 in production technology in February 2026 to expand in-house capacity. Notable customers include Harrison & Hetherington, St Josephs Hospital, Cumbria Constabulary, National Trust, Carlisle United FC (Official Design Partner for 2025), and Higham Hall, with the agricultural sector — particularly livestock markets and breed societies — flagged as the primary vertical served for over 30 years.

Name

We are Reeds

Legal name

Reeds (Cumbria) Ltd

Website

https://wearereeds.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1878

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

We are Reeds is a Cumbria-based, full-service integrated marketing agency offering commercial print, signage, web design (Craft CMS/Craft Commerce), digital marketing, and direct mail services to agricultural, healthcare, public sector, and general B2B clients across North England, Scotland, and the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Penrith

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Web Design and Development Services: Bespoke website design, development, and ongoing support including UX design, Craft CMS development, e-commerce solutions, and hosting services. Revenue generated through project-based fees and ongoing retainer arrangements.
2. Commercial Printing: High-quality printing services including brochures, flyers, business stationery, posters, and wide-format printing. Services offered from design through to production using litho and digital presses.
3. Signage Solutions: Complete signage services from design to installation and maintenance including exterior signage, interior signage, totems, monoliths, wayfinding, window graphics, and exhibition materials.
4. Direct Mail and Fulfilment: End-to-end mailing services including mail fulfilment, leaflet distribution, print-to-post campaigns, and direct mail postcards. Services range from 500 postcards to 50,000 addressed letters.
5. Digital Marketing Services: Digital marketing including social media marketing, content marketing, SEO, and integrated campaign strategies to drive online success.
6. Design Services: Strategic design services including brand research, visual identity, design for print, and design for signage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Reeds is a full-service integrated marketing agency providing commercial print (brochures, flyers, business stationery, posters, wide-format), signage (exterior, interior, wayfinding, museum displays), bespoke website design and development using Craft CMS, e-commerce builds on Craft Commerce, brand design, digital marketing (SEO, social, content), and end-to-end direct mail fulfilment services. All services are delivered under one roof with in-house production, targeting businesses and organisations primarily across Cumbria, Lancashire, Northumberland, and South West Scotland.

Product overview

We are Reeds is a full-service marketing agency offering integrated print, signage, web design, digital marketing, and direct mail services. The company operates a multi-module portfolio with commercial print (brochures, flyers, posters, business stationery) and signage (exterior, interior, wayfinding, museum displays) as core production offerings, supported by digital services including Craft CMS website development, Craft Commerce e-commerce, UX design, digital marketing (SEO, social media, content), and design services. Direct mail services (leaflet distribution, mail fulfilment, print-to-distribution) are handled end-to-end in-house. The company has over 140 years of printing heritage and utilises technology including HP Latex R2000 wide-format printing and Quadient fulfilment automation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Print Services Commercial printing solutions including brochures, flyers, business stationery, posters, and wide-format printing using litho (Heidelberg) and digital presses. Over 140 years of printing experience with HP Latex R2000 capability for graphics up to 2.5 metres. Targeted at businesses needing high-quality printed marketing collateral.
• Signage Solutions
• Website Design and Development
• Craft Commerce E-commerce Bespoke e-commerce websites built on Craft Commerce with multilingual stores, multi-site management, custom checkout journeys, stock control, and shipping integrations (Stripe, PayPal, Worldpay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Sendcloud, Postie, DPD, FedEx, Royal Mail). Targeted at retailers and makers needing flexible, scalable online stores.
• Design Services
• Digital Marketing Services
• Direct Mail and Fulfilment

Quantifiable outcome

• Website traffic more than doubled after redesign (People First)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Carlisle United Football ClubflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 March 2025Official Design Partner for 2025. Reeds oversees brand design ensuring high-quality consistent presence across all club signage, print, and digital channels. Work includes stadium maps, wayfinding signage, fan zone signage, hospitality areas, and matchday materials.
• H&H GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company affiliation. Reeds is part of H&H Group which includes the UK's leading Borderway Mart centres. Provides strategic alignment with agricultural sector through H&H Group's livestock market operations.
• Woodland TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarbon Capture Programme partnership. For every paper purchase, a percentage is given to the Woodland Trust to plant native woodland in the UK. Provides carbon captured print services for customers at no extra cost.
• Craft CMScoreTechnology or IntegrationCraft CMS is the core platform for all Reeds website development. Reeds specialises as Craft CMS and Craft Commerce developers with over a decade of experience. Platform provides flexibility, customisation, and scalability for bespoke websites.
• Royal MailcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary postal partner for direct mail campaigns. Reeds works with Royal Mail for addressed mail services, postage solutions, and postage discounts across UK-wide campaigns.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment gateway integration for e-commerce websites. Supports flexible payment options including card payments and digital wallets.
• PayPalcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment gateway integration for e-commerce websites offering customers additional payment choice and security.
• WorldpaycoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment gateway integration for e-commerce websites providing secure payment processing capabilities.
• SendcloudcoreTechnology or IntegrationShipping automation platform integration for Craft Commerce stores. Streamlines order fulfilment, label printing, tracking automation, and access to discounted carrier rates.
• HP LatexcoreTechnology or IntegrationHP Latex R2000 hybrid wide-format printer technology for production of graphics up to 2.5 metres. Uses water-based low-odour inks for cleaner production environment.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bluetree Group: UK-based integrated marketing agency offering print, signage, website design, and digital services — directly comparable integrated full-service model with similar mid-market customer base in the UK.
• CFH Docmail: UK direct mail and hybrid printing services company — directly comparable to Reeds' print-to-post and mail fulfilment capability, though more focused on transactional and bulk mail rather than integrated creative services.
• Solopress: UK online commercial printing company competing in brochures, flyers, and business stationery — overlaps Reeds' core print offering through a self-service digital model rather than full-service agency support.
• Kall Kwik UK: UK printing, design, and signage franchise network providing integrated print, design, and signage services to local businesses — comparable integrated service model serving regional UK markets with similar SME customer profile.
• Imprint Group: UK commercial printing company offering digital print, large-format, signage, and direct mail — comparable mid-market UK printing and integrated marketing services portfolio with similar production technology stack.

Broad incumbents

• HH Global: Global marketing services provider with print management, direct mail, and creative production at scale — overlaps with Reeds' print and direct mail fulfilment but operates at significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wearereeds
• Facebookfacebook.com/wearereeds
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/we-are-reeds

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

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 We are Reeds