A massive rolling investment programme across CCL Label's UK sites has underlined the company's position as the leading supplier of labelling and sleeving solutions.
More than £10m (Euro 11.2m) has been invested since 2007 in both building projects and new equipment and further major expenditure is planned in the next 18 months.
At CCL Label's Castleford plant, more than £3m (Euro 3.35m) has been invested in new equipment, IT systems and the planned installation of two new Nilpeter MO4 presses. These will be the first servo driven printing presses to be installed at the site. Common machinery platforms throughout the group enable CCL to provide a localised service for global brands, with final artwork approval being obtained at the relevant lead site and files then transferred to individual operations for local production.
CCL's facility in East Kilbride has also benefitted from a recent investment programme of approximately £1m (â"šÂ¬1.12m). The plant utilises a combination of conventional and digital printing and has installed an 8-colour short run combination press to provide the additional capacity to meet increased demand. In addition it has upgraded its origination/pre-press department with new Apple Macs and software, and is building a new ink lab to assist the focus on accurate colour matching.
Another key development at East Kilbride has been the installation of an HP Indigo digital press and Esko Kaleidoscope software. This has enabled the site to achieve the previously extremely difficult task of colour matching digitally. A second HP Indigo press is due to be installed next year along with the latest in short run production machines to continue East Kilbride's focus on short run, high complexity, high service requirements.
A multi-million pound building programme at CCL Label Ashford, which is nearing completion, will see the site's manufacturing and warehousing facilities increase by nearly 70%. CCL Ashford specialises in the manufacture of specialist labels, such as self-adhesive expanded content label and patient leaflets, with its customer base primarily focused on pharmaceutical and agrochemicals.
In addition to the factory extension, CCL Ashford is also embarking on a major upgrade of its equipment. Two new flexographic presses and digital flexo plate making facilities have now been installed with further investments to include an 8-colour sheet fed litho press, 6-colour sheet fed litho press and digital press, along with new QA checking and inspection equipment. The flexibility and versatility that this will bring will enable the site to meet customer demand throughout Europe.
CCL Decorative Sleeves, which became part of CCL Label in January 2007, has completed the installation of a new wide web 9-colour UV Flexo press at its Kings Lynn factory, along with new generation conversion equipment. The company has also announced plans for further major investment at Kings Lynn, which will see the rebuilding of the existing factory and the corresponding installation of the latest state-of-the-art capital equipment.
"The amounts that we are continuing to invest across our UK operations underlines our commitment to this market and to our customers and employees," comments Dale Hambilton, vice president and managing director CCL Label (UK) Ltd.
"Equally important, this investment programme complements CCL's international growth strategy and ensures we are ideally placed to play a pivotal role in the support of multinational customers and global brands."
