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ROBERTS MART'S SMART PRINTING SOLUTION FOR FOOD INDUSTRY
Date Posted:
23 Apr 2010
Roberts Mart, one of the country's leading printers of paper and plastic flexible packaging, is helping food and drink companies reduce their carbon footprint after investing in a new multi-million pound state-of-the-art printing press.
The family-run business, acutely aware that food manufacturers are under pressure to minimise the environmental impact of their operations, have recently purchased an eight-colour Fischer & Krecke 14S press.
This cutting edge addition to Roberts Mart's portfolio features 'smartGPS', a graphic positioning system with automatic registration which allows for quicker turnaround times than conventional presses, leading to less material waste - a vital tick in the box for packaging operations in the food and beverage industry.
Other advantages for food industry customers include accuracy of calibration for greater consistency between print runs, better product presentation, and horizontal and vertical form fill and seal applications for both loose and pre-packed products.
The 14S operates at impressive speeds of up to 400m per minute, and prints sell-by dates and barcodes directly on to film and lids, significantly reducing the use of extra labels on packaging and, using a single substrate, making recycling far easier.
Roberts Mart joint managing director Ben Roberts, said: "One of the biggest challenges for print jobs in the food industry is set up time and the wastage involved. Current systems allow for 10 percent tolerance on order quantity for registration set up and end of print off which is very wasteful.
"The new press can address these issues because it has a fixed amount of set up waste each time and a much faster acceleration to production speed. As well as its environmental advantages, the Fischer & Krecke is also very versatile making it easier for us to respond to customers' demands."
Investment in this exciting piece of kit coincides with the launch of Roberts Mart's new website and follows recent acquisitions, in response to growing demand from the food industry, of a new laminator and high speed Titan SR8 slitter.
Roberts Mart employs 140 people across two sites in Leeds, at Aire Valley House based on Thornes Farm Way, and at its subsidiary company, Romar Packaging, a specialist packaging film converting business, based at Newmarket Lane on the edge of the city.
The firm counts a number of household names among its customers and in 2005 it secured the much coveted British Retail Consortium Institute of Packaging (BRC/IoP) accreditation following an inspection of its modern Aire Valley site, by the Product Authentication Inspectorate (PAI).
These are exciting times for the company and ongoing investment - almost £9million over the last seven years on new plant and high-tec equipment - promises much more for the Yorkshire based company.
Background Information
Roberts Mart and Co. was founded in 1852 by William Roberts as a paper merchant in Lady Lane, Leeds. Handmade bags were followed by progression into commercial printing before the company set up in its Bank Mills premises in 1892. In October 2004, Roberts Mart moved to a newly built state-of-the-art factory based in the Aire Valley area of Leeds, which was formally opened by His Royal Highness the Duke of York.
There has always been a Roberts at the helm and the new joint Managing Directors, William and Ben Roberts, are the sixth generation of the family to be in charge.
Continual investment in both bag making and printing equipment has seen the group grow while maintaining its independence. It has continued to diversify to the point where it is the market leader in household textile packaging and in 1991 was granted a patent covering the manufacture of a roll pack carrier bag suitable for containing pillows and continental quilts.
For further information and photographs:
Gary Allison
(Helen Wright for colour separation requests at Helen@allottandassociates.co.uk)
Allott & Associates Ltd
Claro Chambers,
42 High Street
Knaresborough,
North Yorkshire, HG5 OEQ
Telephone (01423) 867264 or Fax (01423) 869140
Email: gary@allottandassociates.co.uk
Or
Ben Roberts
Managing Director
Robert Mart and Co. Ltd
Aire Valley House,
Thornes Farm Way
Leeds,
West Yorkshire, LS9 OAN
Telephone 0113 202 6500 or Fax: 0113 202 6550
Email: info@roberts-mart.co.uk
Web: www.roberts-mart.co.uk
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