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Newspaper executive dies days before retirement

Kent Messenger Group’s production director David Dalton has died at the age of 61 following a brave battle with cancer.

He was due to retire as an executive director in a few days time, at the end of the year.

David (above) is remembered by his friends and colleagues as a larger-than-life character who was admired and respected across the newspaper industry.

Kent Messenger Group chairman Edwin Boorman said David had “in a short time, placed us in the Premier League for newspaper contract printing”.

He said: “He had a broad vision, a forceful character and a strong sense of humour, all of which has improved our print quality and contributed to the KM becoming the largest selling regional weekly newspaper in the country.”

His career began as an apprentice in 1959 and he later went on to work for leading newspaper groups, including Thomson Newspapers, working in production for the Hemel Hempstead Echo and Post, and the North Eastern Evening Gazette.

In 1979, he became production manager at the Guardian Group, responsible for all origination and printing on presses in London and Manchester.

He had control over the planning and commissioning of the Guardian Printing Centre at the Isle of Dogs where he became works director.

In 1991 he joined Hunterprint Group, later known as Quebecor Printing UK, as group managing director.

As a non-executive director at Lloyds of London Press and Lloyds of London List, he launched printing sites in Australia and South Africa.

Then, at the Kent Messenger Group from 1998, he assembled one of the best production teams in the industry.

A company spokesman said: “He generated tremendous team spirit and his staff loved him, even though they were sometimes on the end of his characteristic verbal outbursts.

“But his bark was always worse than his bite, and it was always aimed at achieving excellence.

“He was fiercely loyal to his staff but he wanted the job done right.

“We worked very hard but we had a lot of fun.”

When he joined KMG, the company was printing little over 1m copies a week – a figure which now stands at more than 4m.

Duncan Gray, associate director (production), said: “I’m going to miss a wonderful boss and a great friend. We’ve done a lot in five years.”

David’s deep knowledge of the industry and wealth of contacts at the highest levels enabled him to win contracts from Associated, The Guardian, News International the Barclay Brothers and several regional newspapers including the Isle of Wight County Press and the KMG press now runs around the clock for six days a week.

Earlier this year, David was shortlisted in the 2002 Newspaper Awards for Personality of the Year.

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