Decorator Profile Opened for new business
Changing ones business model can be daunting and scary but if done correctly can reap so many more benefits; as 4 Ways Solutions is discovering. Previously a sole trader in office supplies, the company has moved to a new base and with it has started to bring garment printing in house. It most recently opened a showroom at its new base in Kent, so to see this new transformation, acting editor, Benjamin Austin went to the company’s opening day to speak to the owners.
T
he world of office supplies was one of steady reliable custom with its demands always needing to be met – that was until Covid.
The Pandemic saw a drop in office working, something to which the world just hasn’t returned.
For more than a decade, 4 Ways Solutions built its reputation as a trusted supplier of office products, PPE and workplace essentials but as demands change so does business and the supplier has diversified its services into printed garments.
Having dabbled in this industry a little previously, it only ever subcontracted the work out, but now, alongside the moving into a new HQ, the company has decided to bring its garment decoration in house.
New ventures
Officially opening its new premises in January 2026, the company has transformed what was once an empty warehouse into a fully functioning garment decoration operation, bringing embroidery and direct to film (DTF) printing in-house for the first time. For managing director Roy and sales director Bill, the move wasn’t simply about finding a bigger building – it was about creating a platform for long-term growth.
Bill said: “We sat down around the table and said, ‘Shall we? This is what we’ve got to do. This is the investment. These are the people I believe we can get who’ll help us.’ After a few days it was, ‘Let’s give this a go.’”
A blank canvas
While many companies gradually expand into garment decoration, 4 Ways Solutions effectively built an entirely new production department from scratch.
Bill said: “When we moved into | 16 | August 2026
this office in December, everything downstairs was empty.
“There was no heat press, there was no shop, there was no DTF printer, there was no embroidery machine, no workbenches. It was a shell.” Since officially opening in January, every piece of production equipment has been installed from new, alongside artwork systems, computers and dedicated workspace for the expanding production team.
“The list grew and the stress grew but it was the best decision I think we’ve made.”
“What we brought with us was five people. Now we’re 15 or 16. We’ve gone from one vehicle to four. The office has tripled, the vehicles have tripled, the people have tripled and the workload has tripled.”
The right tech
Launching a decoration department meant making some important investment decisions.
Rather than rushing into purchases, 4 Ways sought advice from experienced
production staff and immersed themselves in the industry before committing.
Among the most valuable experiences was visiting the Printwear & Promotion LIVE! exhibition, where the team were able to compare technologies and speak directly with manufacturers. Bill said: “Going to the show helped. To go and see the machine that you’re just about to buy in full flow – what a difference.
“Someone can tell you it’ll print this and it’ll look like this, but when you’re standing there watching it, you think, ‘That’s impressive. I’ll have one.’” The company ultimately invested in a six-head Barudan embroidery machine alongside Resolute DTF equipment – choices Bill has no regrets about. “If you’re going to do it, do it properly. Barudan and Resolute are two of the best in the industry. The people we brought in, who between them had more than 30 years’ experience, immediately suggested those two brands. “Once you see the work they produce, the samples they provide and the support
The team at 4Ways
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
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