Luke Walford is SEDO’s Director of Consumables and Print. We caught up with him for a quick chat about why he enjoys working for SEDO, how his perception of print has changed over the years and what he gets up to in his spare time.


As Director of Consumables and Print, Luke’s role is to support the company’s customer base with their consumables once they’ve purchased a wide format printer. One of the good aspects of the job is the amount of variety this brings to the work. “It can involve hand-holding in the first few months with a new printer, or searching out weird and wonderful products to satisfy an experienced customer’s need,” says Luke. He also looks after SEDO’s Disaster Recovery service. “This is a unique facility for when things go wrong,” he explains. For example, if a customer is experiencing a head strike, a software problem or simply a lack of capacity for the work coming in, SEDO can step in with a range of printing and finishing services to allow the customer’s workflow to continue uninterrupted.

Luke particularly enjoys watching his customers growing into their wide format printers. “I look after the secondary training and help customers in their wide format infancy. Seeing them grow is really quite satisfying,” he says. “I also enjoy getting my hands dirty in the print room occasionally. Using the wide format kit can only better my understanding of it and, therefore, help me to sell and support it.”

We asked Luke if he has a favourite piece of kit. “My favourite machine has to be the Caldera and Mutoh combination. It’s just so easy to work with and produces great quality, at speed. It makes the perfect team for Print Disaster Recovery!”

The SEDO secret
In Luke’s eyes, what makes SEDO different from other suppliers in wide format is the personable approach from the staff. He explains: “it helps set us apart. We really do know our customers. We’ve had several comments over the years complementing our awareness and understanding of what our clients need. This is most clearly seen in our commitment be more than just a ‘box shifter’. I also think our working knowledge, rather than spec sheet knowledge, helps differentiate us from our competitors. When clients come to talk to us, they’re talking to a user and a reseller wrapped into one, which can only result in better service and support for them.”

Luke’s story
Before working for SEDO, Luke wasn’t actually in the printing industry at all. “I managed a gambling establishment in my hometown. I worked up from part-time while in college and university, and earned a management role after my graduation. Making the move into print was a big change but I’m so glad I did it. The work can be hard but the hours are much better.”

Naturally, Luke’s impression of the printing industry has changed since his switch of profession. “I’m much more aware of what it takes to produce prints now and so things I used to take for granted catch my eye and earn admiration for a job well done. I can’t walk past a banner without checking it out to see how it was produced. It drives my other half crazy!” And, of course, as someone who works in printing, Luke has his own favourite piece of print. “I have a personalised canvas on my dining wall. It’s my fiancé’s and my name written in sand on a Spanish beach with our handprints next to them. It’s a bit soppy, I know, but it’s a personal memory of the great holiday and I like to see it every day.”

Luke’s a keen football supporter and a fan of West Ham United. He brings a certain nostalgia for the beautiful game to his job. A lot of SEDO’s customers are university print rooms and Luke can remember football clashes against them from his own university days. Another SEDO customer that stands out for him is the Lloyds Banking Group. They were the very first invoice he wrote up, more than five years ago.

Weekends see Luke watching his favourite team at the Olympic stadium in Stratford. “Super Slav and Payet have brightened my Saturdays up considerably,” he admits. Otherwise he enjoys spending time with his fiancé and his family. “I love being with them, particularly my two nephews Charlie and Sonny.” Otherwise you’ll find him with his head stuck in a book – Lee Child’s Reacher series is his current favourite.