Brothers Frank and Philip Poynter first set up a die-making workshop with just one saw and a workbench in the 10ft-square cellar of their mother’s semi-detached house in Bredbury, Stockport, in 1964.
Philip would clock off from a day’s work making dies at a local printing firm and head straight for the cellar to continue his craft. Salesman Frank would sell the dies and secure the orders and within a matter of months they had the makings of a lucrative business.
By 1965, the brothers had outgrown their modest underground workspace and moved into their first official factory on Cross Lane in Marple, and Arden Dies – the first of the Arden group of companies, was officially founded.
Sixty years on, the Arden Group remains a proud family business. The late Frank Poynter’s son, Martin Poynter, is now Managing Director, working alongside his own daughter Sarah Poynter, who serves as Operations Director – with the company now in its third generation of family leadership.
Today, the Arden Group comprises three specialist divisions – Arden Dies, Arden Engraving and Arden Software – all serving the global packaging and print sectors. Arden Dies is the UK’s largest die-maker, manufacturing specialist dies and tooling for packaging and cartons; Arden Engraving manufacturers embossing and hot foil stamping tooling for packaging and labels; and Arden Software is a leading provider of CAD/CAM software for packaging design.
Martin Poynter, who first joined the family business in 1978, aged 21, following the death of his uncle Philip, said: “Celebrating our diamond anniversary is a proud milestone for our family and for everyone who has contributed to Arden’s success over the past 60 years.
“From modest beginnings in my grandmother’s cellar to becoming a global leader in the packaging sector, we have always stayed true to our core values of quality and innovation, established by my father Frank and uncle Philip.
“As a family-owned business now in its third generation, we are proud to fly the flag for British manufacturing, championing cutting-edge technology and sustainable solutions that position us at the forefront of the industry.
“This anniversary is a celebration of everyone who has played their part in the Arden story, past and present. Their dedication and hard work have helped shape who we are today, and we remain committed to carrying that legacy forward for generations to come.”
With its headquarters on Shepley Lane in Marple, where it’s been since 1985, the Arden Group has grown into an international business, employing 260 people across its sites in the UK, Germany, Denmark, Poland, India, the USA and Mexico.
The Arden name itself was inspired by the noble Arden family of Bredbury, whose estate encompassed the Poynter brothers’ childhood home where their journey began. Former RAF man Frank Poynter, who served with the Path Finders Force of the Lancaster Bombers, also incorporated the PFF Hawk emblem into the company logo – a tribute to his military heritage that remains part of the Arden brand today.
