By Ainsley Walters, Staff Reporter 
Press operator at Gentle Printers, Garfield Jones keeps an eye on the job at hand. - Michael Sloley /Freelance Photographer
MAINTAINING AND operating a small printery nowadays is no easy task. Computer technology and prohibitive retooling costs have taken a serious toll on the industry, dwindling viability in a once vibrant sector.
Oswald Gentle, managing director of Gentle Printers Limited, is among a number of small printers experiencing difficult times but remain hopeful in a shaky industry.
"The computer has hit us hard," said Gentle, who operates his business at 47c Old hope Road, Kingston, after starting out from the back of his house 18 years ago.
"People are now producing letter heads, party invitations and doing invoicing on their computers. That's a good portion of the market which has gone to the computer," he pointed out.
"Take, for example, a young girl celebrating her 'Sweet 16' birthday. She uses her computer and licks up a couple invitations on paper in no time," said Gentle.
Gentle Printers, the managing director said, built its reputation on the speed with which it completed jobs.
"In the early days, we got good support from hotels on the North Coast," he said. "Our thing was, and still remains, speed. A job came here at 10 o'clock yesterday morning and we delivered some this morning. Another came last night at 7:20 and that's set for delivery this evening."
However, unlike other businesses which would experience an upturn in the Christmas season, Gentle is yet to see his bearer of glad tidings.
Retooling, he said, is a sensible but prohibitively expensive option.
"What we probably need to do is acquire advanced technology to compete with the computers," he said.
"Money for retooling can be borrowed but where will the business come from to service the loan?" he said. Given those circumstances, he said, "We're really looking forward to better days around here."
