Ray Hillhouse retires from Plockmatic as new GM is appointed

Plockmatic Group has hired a new general manager following the retirement of Ray Hillhouse, with plans to rebrand the company in the near future

Jonathan Pert

May 16, 2025

Ray Hillhouse is retiring after 40 years of working in the print industry

Creasing and folding equipment manufacturer, Plockmatic Group, has announced structural changes after the retirement of long-term director of offline business, Ray Hillhouse.

Hillhouse, who officially retired on April 30^th after 15 years of working with Plockmatic, joined the industry in 1985 as a service engineer with offset equipment supplier ABDick, in his native Glasgow.

Following his retirement, Ed Hudson has been appointed as general manager for the Plockmatic Group’s UK sales and service operation, effective from May 1^st.

In his newly-created role, Hudson is responsible for sales, service, and support for both inline and offline post-press products in the UK.

Hudson’s industry experience began with Xerox in the mid-1990s, followed by a 17-year spell with Océ and Canon. In late 2024, Ed joined IBIS Integrated Binding Systems as its sales director.

Plockmatic has a new GM — *Ed Hudson most recently worked for IBIS Integrated Binding Systems as a sales director*

As well as Hudson’s appointment, Hillhouse’s other roles within Plockmatic Group have been distributed to others in the management team. These roles included general manager of Morgana Systems, managing director of Intec Printing Solutions, and vice president of sales and marketing for Plockmatic’s Offline Business Unit.

Commenting on his retirement, Hillhouse says: “I’ve enjoyed my 40 years in this industry immensely and have been given some great opportunities within the organisations I have worked with.

“I am very grateful to the staff in both companies who have supported me along this journey, and to the customers and dealers who I have met along the way. A lot of my years in both companies have been spent on the road and in the air with travel abroad, and it’s time to wind down a little.”

Speaking of Plockmatic’s plans for the future, Hudson highlights plans to rebrand the company, saying: “Going forward we intend to re-brand the business as Plockmatic Group UK, in-turn consolidating the individual Morgana and Intec brands in a similar way as has happened with Watkiss Automation and KGS, the PUR binder manufacturing operation.”