Partner Article

Getting to know... Keith Wickham

We know you as the founder of Gate 7 and a member of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, but who is the person behind the title? Tell us a little about what makes you tick…

My career in printing started in 1964 when, following college, I joined Crawford Bros - a print finishing company based in Newcastle.

This experience lasted for five years and gave me a broad understanding of all types of print processes. I then attended the Newcastle School of Printing and completed many vocational courses in topics such as print management, paper technology, estimating and cost accounting.

I then took up a sales role, based in London, with the Woodrow Wyatt Group, and had several years of dealing with London Advertising Agencies and Fleet Street Newspapers. The WW Group pioneered Web Offset Printing, introducing competitive colour printing at economic cost. It was a very exciting time in the print industry.

These experiences led me to start my own print company, which developed into five factories across the UK.

After 28 years, I founded Gate 7 Ltd, specialising in self-adhesive and PVC printed items focused on the motor industry, particularly off-road industrial vehicle manufacturers.

Gate 7 now has three manufacturing plants, in the UK at Team Valley, in Pennsylvania, America, and in Pune, India. These plants all feature the latest technology in the print industry and provide a design and logistics management service as well as a complete in-house manufacturing facility. We are able to service our blue-chip client base with a global standard for their vehicle livery requirements.

The sun never sets on Gate 7!

What’s the best bit about your job? And the worst?

The best bit about my job now is being able to hand over the running of the business to my son Harry, who is Gate 7’s Managing Director, and my daughter Sophie, who is Commercial Director, although this can also be the worst as they boss me around…

As well as that, we have committed and uniquely skilled colleagues and cultivating their talents is very satisfying. This allows Gate 7 to meet the demanding requirements of our blue-chip global customer base.

I always try to look for the positives in situations, which translates into how we operate as a business. So rather than approaching challenges and seeing the negatives, we face these head-on and look for development opportunities.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

I’m grateful to have so many experiences that have taken me on the journey to where I am now, with a business I built from the ground up and have successfully handed over to my family, who are continuing to grow the company worldwide, and grow their own families. Over the years, Gate 7 has been awarded the Queen's Award for International Trade on multiple occasions, and I am immensely proud of this achievement.

How do you relax outside of work?

I have always found time to paddle my canoe and ride my bike, but more so, my 5 children and, at the moment, 10 grandchildren keep my wife Audrey and me very busy.

What makes the North East such a great place to live and work?

The North East is a great place to live, with coastal and open countryside, and closeness to the Lake District. To have a business based here means that the opportunity exists to have first-class production facilities with excellent transport connections.

An enthusiastic, committed and ambitious workforce is also readily available to contribute to world-class manufacturing activity.

Tell us something about you we didn’t know…

In more recent times, I have competed in endurance car rallies, following a successful career in single-seater racing cars. 

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Entrepreneurs' Forum .