Tamar Labels acquires Ireland-based Labelit

Tamar Labels, a Devon, UK-based label manufacturer, has acquired the assets of Irish self-adhesive label converter Labelit, which serves the European food, beverage, pharmaceutical, automotive and pet care sectors. 

Tamar has enjoyed success in similar UK-based markets to Labelit, so the move will not only enable the company expand its current service offering into Europe, but will open doors to new European markets such as the diverse pet care sector, as managing director Robert Lee explained:

‘North America is by far the largest retail market for pet care products. It is also the most mature market, with the average household expected to spend USD $225 per household on pet care products,’ he said.

‘In contrast, Eastern Europe and Latin America are relatively immature markets with average household expenditures of less than $50, less than a quarter of those in North America. However, household expenditure on pet care has risen tremendously over the past five years, and in Eastern Europe, household expenditure has grown by more than 60 percent over the past five years. Therefore the European pet care sector, which is an industry sector worth an estimated 127 billion euros, represents a substantial growth opportunity for Tamar labels as we move our business steadily forwards.’

Equipment included in the Labelit deal includes three 8-color Nilpeter UV flexo presses and a range of Omega finishing equipment and pre-press systems. These now sit alongside Tamar’s fleet of Edale narrow web flexo and HP Indigo digital label presses at the company’s British Retail Consortium/Institute of Packaging accredited production facility near Plymouth.

The move sees the number of employees increase to 36, while creating five new jobs at the Gulworthy plant and annual turnover is expected to increase to a projected 5m euros in 2013.

Pictured: Tamar Labels’ managing director Robert Lee

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