A statement issued yesterday (7 August) by sales and operations director Tim Pattison confirmed that employees had been contacted to notify them that the evacuation zone had been lifted on the town of Whaley Bridge.
Last Thursday (1 August), around 1,500 people were evacuated from the Derbyshire town following the part-collapse of a dam wall on the nearby Toddbrook Reservoir, which contained 300m gallons of water that threatened to flood the town.
Label printer Interket, which is situated less than 1.5km from the reservoir on an industrial estate close to the River Goyt, halted business on the same day and has kept clients informed through its social media channels as the situation developed. Pattison, who cut a holiday short to oversee disaster planning, said no damage had been done to the site and operations will now return to normal.
He told PrintWeek: “Everybody is really upbeat; our first vans were on the road by 4.30pm yesterday and I would say we will be fully back to normal in the next few days. Everyone is pulling together and showing real team spirit.
“You cannot fault the work of the authorities, they deserve medals, and it was amazing how the community pulled together to support them.
“Our customers have been very understanding and we have not lost any of our data so now it is just a case of catching up on jobs, so we will be working 24/7 on recovery for the time being.”
Interket, formerly Stampiton Labels, runs a variety of presses for UV flexo, water-based and litho printing onsite, as well as finishing kit for inkjet coding, cutting and lamination. It employs 79 members of staff.
Going forward, Pattison said he would be attending Labelexpo in Brussels, Belgium, next month on behalf of the company and he hoped to see “significant” investment in the coming months.
The Toddbrook Reservoir was damaged as a result of heavy downpours in the north of England which led to flooding in areas of Derbyshire, Cheshire and Greater Manchester.
Alongside Interket staff returning to work, around 1,100 residents have now gone back to their homes. Heavy rain is forecast in Whaley Bridge for the next few days, though the Environment Agency has expressed confidence that the reservoir will hold. Police will maintain a visible presence in the town for the next week to address residents’ concerns.
Derbyshire Constabulary deputy chief constable Rachel Swann said: “The resolve, community spirit, kindness and generosity to their fellow residents, businesses, friends and family shown in the face of such danger has been extraordinary.”
