Watermill Press reports immediate return from bespoke AB Graphic investment

UK product identification label manufacturer Watermill Press has secured a 500,000 GBP (755,000 USD) contract from a major high street food retailer after investing more than 100,000 GBP (151,000 USD) in bespoke label finishing equipment.

Watermill Press’ new Vectra turret rewinder in action

Watermill Press developed a bespoke Vectra turret rewinder in partnership with AB Graphic to meet a unique and very specific client demand. The machine allows Watermill Press to create irregular label shapes with specialist peel off sections that offer improvements in supply chain tracking and efficiency.

Watermill Press managing director Dale Deacon said: ‘From a business perspective we are reaping the rewards from the investment almost immediately as it’s a significant contract win for us.

‘The brief was to meet a specific client’s commercially confidential request - it was a research and design project in many respects, and it is already paying dividends. While the specialist Vectra turret rewinder has been developed with one client in mind, its unique functionality is relevant to a host of other businesses in the food and drink sector. We expect it to be much sought after and to become a significant, additional income stream in the coming years. The volume of labels the machine is capable of handling is enormous and it will help us convert in the region of an additional two million square meters of material a year.

‘Crucially the new features we are now able to incorporate into our labels will improve supply chain efficiency and accuracy for our clients.’

Watermill Press invested over one million GBP (1.5 million USD) earlier this year when it expanded its portfolio of 530mm-wide AB Graphic Omega label printing and converting machines. This investment included three new converting lines.