Due to arrive at the firm's Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, site in late August, the Edale FL3 label printing press will run largely in service of Fieldpax, GSH’s packaging and labels production brand. It joins two existing Edale presses on site.
Key to the acquisition of the new press is GSH’s desire to explore potential new applications and markets it can exploit using the FL3’s increased productivity and substrate flexibility.
Operations manager Andy Russell said: “We needed the extra capacity and flexibility of a more up-to-date machine for diversifying our product range. At the moment, where we go is an open playing field and we will be inspecting the markets for anything we can get.
“The FL3 has very low wastage, as well as quicker turnaround and makeready, and it can give great control of difficult substrates like PE.
“Its capacity suits our requirements but the appeal of Edale over any alternatives we considered is also that they are a very customer-focused British company. We have always shared a positive relationship with them. Their presses have always served us well.”
Edale’s FL3 flexographic press has a printing width of 420mm and can take substrates from 12-450 microns thick at speeds from 5-200m/min. It has been installed by GSH with an EZ Die quick-change die system and EZ Reg for automated register control, both designed to automate and de-skill the analogue printing process.
Following the installation of the FL3, GSH will continue to focus on diversification with Russell alluding that “subsequent finishing kit” would be installed to accommodate what is expected of the press in any new markets entered.
The GSH Group employs 27 members of staff. Its five brands, also including Infia, Verti-Pack, Easiweigh and JMC, centre around the manufacture of packaging, labels and related machinery.
