DUNSTABLE | UK — December 2025 — The Magic Transfer Company (GB) Ltd, trading as TheMagicTouch, has successfully completed its transition to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), marking a major milestone in the company’s long-term strategy to protect its culture, reward its team, and secure sustainable growth.
Founded in 1992 in St Albans and now headquartered in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, TheMagicTouch operates from a 929-square-meter facility and employs 22 staff. The company has evolved from its origins in coated toner transfer papers to become a diversified digital image transfer technology specialist, offering heat presses, plotters, sublimation solutions, heat transfer vinyl, digital printers, and the latest direct-to-film (DTF) transfer technologies and consumables.
The transition to employee ownership was completed on November 24, 2025. Founders and siblings Jim Nicol and Alison Nicol selected the EOT structure as the preferred succession model to safeguard the company’s values and ensure continuity for employees and customers alike.
Jim Nicol will remain with the business full time, while Alison Nicol will reduce her schedule to three days per week.
“I intend to continue supporting the business and developing the management team for many years to come,” said Jim Nicol. “The world of personalisation has only just begun.”
As part of the transition, long-serving leaders Carl Newbury, general manager, and Paul Meade, head of technical—each with more than 30 years at the company—have been appointed directors. Head of sales Mark Rossi has joined the board of the Trust alongside Alison Nicol.
Planning for the EOT began nearly two years ago. According to Jim Nicol, the structure was intentionally chosen to avoid the financial barriers often associated with management buyouts while ensuring employees directly benefit from the company’s success.
“This business has been built over decades by a dedicated team and loyal customers,” he said. “Employee ownership recognizes that contribution and provides a stable, long-term framework for the future.”
Under the EOT model, new employees become eligible beneficiaries after 12 months of service, strengthening job security and reinforcing the company’s collaborative culture. TheMagicTouch also plans to recruit new talent as part of its next growth phase.
The transition was advised by Avondale Corporate, which supported feasibility analysis, valuation, HMRC clearance, legal structuring, trustee setup, and employee communications.
TheMagicTouch stated that the move to employee ownership secures the company’s legacy, rewards its loyal workforce, and positions the business for continued stability and planned growth in the evolving personalization and digital print market.
Nouvelles de l'imagerie mondiale Latino
French 
English 