Clowes established the firm on 21 October 1803 at 2 Villiers Street, London next to the Strand. As his sons became increasingly more involved in the company, he changed the name of the company to William Clowes & Sons in 1839. By 1843, the company had become one of the largest printing companies in the world: it operated 24 presses and had its own type and stereotype foundries, 2500 tonnes of stereotyped plates and a collection of 80,000 woodcuts. In 1880, Clowes and Clowes merged with William Clowes & Sons to form William Clowes Ltd. As of 2003 the company is located at a custom built factory at Ellough on the outskirts of Beccles.