LEEDS, UK—Another multi-million-pound investment in machinery has been unveiled by specialist printed flexible packaging company Roberts Mart & Co Ltd at the family-run company’s state-of-the-art facility on the outskirts of Leeds.
A leader in its field, the award-winning Yorkshire-based firm has purchased the latest 10-color Allstein printing press at a total project cost of more than £3 million, an increase to its flexographic printing firepower that will bring added internal efficiencies and quicker changeover times. The investment will support the firm in achieving growth of 25 percent in its targeted sectors, such as FMCG, by helping brands to get their goods to market even more quickly than before.
This second piece of versatile machinery that Roberts Mart has bought from the German supplier is part of a long-term growth strategy that has been in place since the company moved to its single-site operation in 2004. It is the seventh press the business has had installed during that time, a level of investment in this type of technology unlikely to be equalled in the printed flexible packaging sector.
Allstein supplies world-beating flexographic printing equipment, making it the perfect fit for Roberts Mart where the latest machine will be put to work across a number of different product ranges, handling a variety of materials like paper, polythene, polyester and polyethylene, according to Managing Director William Roberts.
He said: “We have a great relationship with Allstein, who give us superb back-up support and service. The press is easy to operate and will provide us with even quicker processing of different materials. This is all part of our ambitious growth plan put in place back in 2004, since which the company has broken into multiple new markets resulting in a trebling of the head count at the site. We are now producing packaging that can now be found in every aisle in every supermarket in the UK.
“Roberts Mart’s spectacular growth and success is definitely down to our independence, which means we have the ability to react quickly to changing markets. Plus, the fact that we refuse to compromise on buying the best-of-range machinery—and coupled with employing some of the most experienced flexible packaging professionals in the industry.”
Gordon Whitelaw, managing director of Allstein GmbH, commented: “We are again thrilled to partner with Roberts Mart & Co Ltd and support them in their expansion and pursuit of excellence. The mix of our disruptive technologies with their vision and drive will help set new milestones in terms of productivity.”
Chalk and cheese is how William Roberts describes the markets the company are supplying now with its packaging products compared to 17 years ago, an achievement recognized with no fewer than eight accolades in the 2020 Print Awards, including gold medals for innovative work in flexographic printing on film and for brands, taking the company’s haul to 24 golds from different industry events around the globe over the last six years.
A six-generation family-run business, Roberts Mart believes in family values which is reflected in the company’s ability to attract and retain talent from local communities, indeed several successive generations of employees’ families have contributed to its success. Further investment in plant is also in the pipeline, says Roberts Mart, with planning permission in place to expand its facility by building a 55,000 sq. ft. extension, a project which has been earmarked for late 2021.
Roberts Mart is also committed to reducing the impact its products have on the environment with an ongoing sustainability drive that includes supplying films and pouches that can be completely biodegradable or recyclable through a household bin.