Craig & Parsons installs Mark Andy Digital One

With most of the UK’s leading supermarket retailers and office suppliers among its indirect customers, Craig & Parsons was looking for technology that offered flexible production capability with high-end quality. It had seen little on the market that met the criteria for cost-effective production and high quality until visiting Mark Andy at Labelexpo Europe 2017.

Mark Andy Digital One impressed with the print quality from the dry toner unit and the fact that the single flexo print station can be used for an additional color or varnish. Digital One also offers cold foil and laminating in-line, and the die-cutting unit accepts the tooling from the company’s existing 2200 press.

Speaking for Craig & Parsons’ third generation of family management, Nikki Gordon explained: ‘My grandparents Cyril and Win established the business in 1945 and our success has been built on three generations of designing, printing and manufacturing expertise. We strive for excellence in everything we do, and achieve it with a balance of open, customer-focused service, and the very latest in equipment and technology.’

The latest investment in digital print technology highlights the company’s determination to stay ahead of its competitors. The acquisition of local label converter Speedstick’s business in 2015, and the installation of its 2200 press, allowed Craig & Parsons to open new CMYK business, including some direct with customers, and the new Mark Andy Digital One will bring further diversification to short run work.’

She continued: ‘We had been waiting a long time for a digital print solution like Digital One. It was an impulse buy – we saw it, liked it, and bought it. It was something of a no-brainer for us – especially as it will run virtually any stock, without pre-treatment, and there is no click charge.’

The Mark Andy Digital One is part of a £350,000 (US$467,147)  investment that included future-proofing the company’s site for expansion. The past year has seen the company add six new staff to its single shift operation, which, with the new press, has shortened many delivery times to same-day.

The Mark Digital One joins a bank of six narrow web flexo presses that includes a Mark Andy 2200 UV flexo press, which was itself responsible for bringing four-color work in-house.

Installed in January this year, the Mark Andy Digital One has already passed 30,000 linear metres, and Craig & Parsons is finding it a useful tool for attracting short run process work, like that required from smaller manufacturers and artisanal suppliers, where its capacity for handling multiple versions of the same label is proving very cost-effective.

Gordon concluded: We have a long and proud heritage here, but know we cannot rest on our laurels.  The way business has developed since we installed the Digital One I can only see another being required as our next investment.’

Craig & Parsons is also working towards BRC accreditation for its 12,000 sq ft facility and 21 staff.