A Proud Legacy Continues at Caxton

Caxton has enjoyed a long standing relationship with the McHargs family, serving as the South Island’s only book binding and print finishing business partner. Sadly, McHargs Bookbinders, founded in 1893 as a family business spanning four generations and 132 years, closed its doors in December 2025. It was a difficult day for Caxton and for the print industry as a whole.

We were fortunate to have the opportunity to purchase a wide range of machinery from McHargs, allowing us to bring more of the binding process in-house. In some areas, this has meant expanding on equipment we already had; in others, we’ve been able to add new capabilities we previously didn’t have. All equipment was relocated in January, also welcoming several members of the McHargs team into our business.

Brothers Johnny and Tim McHarg have also repurposed the historic site into new ventures. ClubPickle has opened on Carlyle Street in Sydenham, transforming the former McHargs bookbinding and print finishing factory into the city’s first dedicated indoor pickleball facility.

Make sure to check it out and support a great new fun activity in Christchurch.