Former IFS chairman passes away aged 84
Intelligent Finishing Systems has paid tribute to its former chairman Tony Hards
Shining a spotlight on the industry
Friday, 12 Jan 2024 10:54 GMT
Tony Hards was known for his love of golf and Tottenham Hotspur football team
Tony Hards, former chairman and managing director of Intelligent Finishing Systems (IFS) and Graphic Arts Equipment (GAE) has passed away aged 84 following a short illness.
The team and current managing director at IFS, Eric Keane, have expressed their sadness upon learning about Hards’ death, especially due to the legacy and success he was known for.
According to the company, Hards possessed a “dogged” and “never-give-up” attitude which enabled him to quickly become known in the industry after joining GAE (forerunner company to IFS) in the 1960s as its top sales colleague.
Hards moved into senior management in the mid-1980s when he acquired ownership of GAE, partnering with his long-term business partner Bryan Godwyn.
Writing about his memories of Hards, Keane says: “I first met Tony in 1980 when I joined GAE as a young salesman, Tony was great mentor, he taught me so much about the business, all of which served me well over the decades in several successful business ventures.
“Tony was great at spotting talent and so many current and former colleagues enjoyed their time in successful careers working under Tony’s direction.”
Hards was well-known within the commercial print and machinery supply sectors thanks to his active role in industry association, PICON, as well as his relationships with suppliers, manufacturers, and customers.
In 2012, Hards was awarded the title of Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspapermakers in recognition of his life-long contribution to the print industry.
Today IFS is a supplier of finishing equipment to the graphic arts sectors as well as the exclusive distributor of Horizon quick-response finishing solutions in the UK and Ireland.
Keane adds: “Tony was very much a disrupter in the printing machinery market and simply loved the challenge of bringing into the market many new product ranges. The most successful of these introductions being Horizon.
Tony secured the agency for Horizon Print Finishing products in 1981 and established their products as UK market leaders.”
The team at IFS says Hards will be sorely missed and passes on their sympathies to his family, friends, associates, and everyone who knew him.
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