Company Information

Once upon a time, many years ago, there lived a young lady without any money. In order to feed her family she set up a company called Segments. This was in 1973. The name Segments was derived to reflect the variety of services that were on offer, each being a segment that could be offered individually or in conjunction with the other services, to make a whole. In these early days the company offered a much wider range of services, including printing and translation.

As the company developed, the market place became more attuned to the developing role of direct mailing. Segments therefore tailored the operation to reflect this trend, whilst continuing in the print finishing field.

The company rebranded and relaunched as S.I.Q in 1975 and was located in Bournemouth for a short period. S.I.Q. developed rapidly and moved to factory premises in Poole, on the Nuffield Industrial Estate. Clients at that time included R.N.L.I, Dimplex, Abbey Life to name a few. Family commitments in 1982 saw the then owner (Linda Aldham) retire from the business (and Janet Gent acquired the company.)

In 1984 All Sorts was born. Originally called Sorts, the name derived from a type setting term called “sorts”. When a compositor required just a few bits of metal type (i.e. he only needed a couple of words or a small paragraph), he would ring around the trade to see who had some “sorts” in the required type face, “sorts” being odd bits left over from larger jobs. The “All” in front on “Sorts” was added later purely to facilitate a better flow when answering the telephone. Watching a sketch performed by the comedians Little & Large, as postmen sorting mail, also contributed to the origin of the name. Another contender for the new company name was “Thirty” meaning “The End”. This was used by the New York Herald Tribune at the end of a reported piece. This was at the time when new machinary was being developed that would supercede hand setting.

All Sorts took the lease on a small factory unit in Wimborne and quickly began to outgrow it. In 1993 All Sorts took on another unit and 1997 saw another move into Unit 1. The 2 smaller units were retained which now house pick and pack, storage and hand finishing.

All Sorts are now established as one of the leading direct mail and print finishing companies in the South.

Mission Statement

To become the leading Mailing House and Print Finishers along the South Coast delighting our clients with a first class service by fulfilling jobs on time, with expert knowledge and second to none customer service; all at an extremely competitive price.