The new 1,858m2 facility will offer coating and laminating services to customers in the medical, security and speciality labelling markets.

It includes solvent and aqueous coating of web-fed materials, and the new facility can handle papers, films, foams, fabrics and foils up to 1,600mm wide.

A "significant investment" has been made in equipment at the site, although the company declined to comment on the cost of the purchase.  

Jack Kahn, managing director of DEP, said that following the investment, the business will look to gradually expand away from its previous photographic products to ones more relevant to the digital market.

The new site will enable the company to research and develop new products for the printing and packaging industry.

Kahn said: "Our new coating machine is a bespoke product specifically designed to handle all our existing range and venture into new areas of coated products.

"The new equipment will achieve higher quality to our current products and will allow us to develop new products that will complement our existing range as well as diversifying into allied industries."

Initially, there will be two coating lines that offer one clean room and non-clean room coating facilities to cater for all types of customers, including paper merchants and printers.

Coating techniques at the site include gravure, slot die, reverse roll and Meyer bar, along with converting capabilities including slitting, guillotining and precision sheeting. The coating lines will offer both thermal and UV curing facilities.

DEP manufactures and distributes coatings for litho, screen, flexo and digital printing. Its products include labels, banners, pre-press films, maps and plastic cards.