According to a spokeswoman for Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, a fire broke out at Mono-Poly Printers in Louth on Sunday at 9:20am. Ten crews attended the fire at the packaging printer and three main jets were used to bring it under control.
"There was severe fire damage to the printers and moderate fire damage to the adjoining premises," she said, adding that there were no suspicious circumstances.
Terry Barker, a printer at Mono-Poly Printers, whose father owns the company, said he was relieved that no-one was hurt in the blaze and added that at this stage he did not yet know what exactly had caused the fire, but that he believed it had started on one of its two flexo presses.
He said a CMS six-colour CI press and a Schiavi Sirio had both been badly damaged in the fire, and a slitter rewinder had also been lost. He did not know exactly how much the damage would cost, but said it was likely to run into millions.
The company specialises in flexible packaging for the fashion, food, horticultural, DIY, mailing and pharmaceutical industries.
Barker said the company, which has a turnover of around £1.5m, did not have a formal disaster recovery plan, but he praised the company's 16 staff, who were "mucking in" to help clear up the factory yesterday (Wednesday, 13 February).
"We’ve also had a few offers of help from other printers," he added. "For example we have been offered the use of a machine that is not currently being used, as long as we pay the electricity. It’s half way across the country, but it’s a generous offer."
However, he said that he had been disappointed by some of the opportunistic prices quoted by a handful of companies for work Mono-Poly was looking to place, but he did add that clients had generally been "very understanding" about the situation.
"It’s too early to know when we will be back up and running," Barker said. "One big problem we have is that the building we’re in is rented and it looks like it may need to be pulled down. But as soon as we can get up and running, we will."
