The History of Dobson and Crowther
Dobson & Crowther was established in Birmingham in 1904 and became the largest producer of paper bags for use by shops to pack their loose dry goods in. This was the case until just after WW2 when the manufacturers began pre-packaging their products. This change in packaging was soon to spell the end of the need for the paper bags that Dobson and Crowther produced.
During WW2 the main Seed Retailers in the UK were based in City areas, which were liable to bombing. As seeds represented the beginning of the food chain an alternative safer site was sought. An empty property in Llangollen known as Upper Dee Mills was discovered and the Seed Retailers were quickly re-housed there. Together they formed a new company called, The Horticultural & Botanical Association.
The Seed Pockets were supplied by a Manchester based printing company until the end of WW2 and continued until 1948 when their Sales Representative acquired the use of ‘The Old Llangollen Brewery' in Llangollen. Brothers, David and John Attenburrow, formed a new Company called ‘Caldecot Press' where they began to convert the printed sheets into seed pockets for “Hot & Bot”. Later, the first Printing Machine was installed thus creating the whole manufacturing process in Llangollen.
In 1948 the management team of Dobson & Crowther made the decision to exit the paper bag market, but decided to buy back some of the machinery which they believed could be adapted for a new product. Special skills were required to run these machines and a number of people from the Birmingham area were attracted to relocate in Llangollen assisted by grants available due to post war Britain trying to rebuild its industrial base.
1962 saw the construction of a new factory situated on the banks of the river Dee and the adoption of the new name, Dobson & Crowther Ltd. The business grew considerably over the next 12 years and was acquired by the Tremlet Group of companies.
In 1976 Jefferson Smurfit Group purchased the Tremlet Group and thus acquired Dobson & Crowther Ltd. The machinery was added to and the business diversified into Direct Mail and photography. In 1996 Dobson & Crowther Ltd. changed its name to Smurfit Print UK, by this time a Zircon Web had also been added to their ever growing machine base, this was producing games pieces and mailers to add to the increasing product range.
In 2006 the management team of Smurfit Print UK decided to purchase the business to ensure its future success and remove it totally from the corrugated giant Smurfit Kappa. They then made the decision to rename the business Dobson & Crowther Ltd, taking it back to its roots.
