CI press at heart of flex pack firm's multi-million pound technology investment

CI press at heart of flex pack firm's multi-million pound technology investment
- Press, lamination and extruder kit purchased for locations in northern England; investment to spark recruitment drive in 2013
 
Roberts Mart & Co. Ltd, an independent manufacturer of flexible packaging in the UK, has invested £2.5m in new plant machinery to boost production capacity at its two facilities in Leeds.
 
The investment includes an F&K 20SIX CI flexo press at its Aire Valley printing factory, as well as a laminator for the same location. An extruder for sister business Romar Packaging has also been purchased.
 
Roberts Mart supplies specialized, high-performance films to a variety of industry sectors, including food, beverages, pet food, supermarket own brand, bottled waters and textiles.
 
The F&K 20SIX CI press (pictured, top) was chosen by Roberts Mart for its print quality, ease of use and versatility.
 
Capable of delivering a high quality of printing on any flexible packaging substrate, this addition to Roberts Mart’s equipment portfolio enables it to break into new market areas, with the company set to boost production by 30 million linear meters a year, providing a significant return on its original investment.
 
An increase in capacity will also follow at Romar following the installation of the new three-layer co-extrusion line, which will boost the subsidiary’s production of co-extruded low density blown polythene film by 1,600 tonnes per year.
 
The latest increase in capital expenditure takes Roberts Mart’s overall investment to just over £15.5 million over the last eight years.
 
With the company’s order books growing, it said this significant investment is expected to have a substantial spin off in jobs with the creation of a potential 25 new posts planned for 2013 to cope with increased production requirements. This will likely include press and lamination operators, as well as warehouse personnel.
 
During the last year, Roberts Mart has taken on 16 new staff and currently has a total workforce of 147 at its two Leeds sites.
 
Sales director Ben Roberts said: ‘This significant new outlay we are making on capital equipment underlines our confidence in developing our existing and new markets. To meet the challenges ahead we are committed to building a team with a diverse range of skill sets.
 
‘Although Roberts Mart is extremely family oriented, we always welcome new recruits selected by merit to join the company and become a part of our extended family.’
 
Read more on Bobst here
Read more on press technology here
Read more news from across Europe here
 
 

Related content