SE Labels has launched a comprehensive survey of the whole European label printing market, to help it plan its future direction.
Following on from the triumphant implementation of the World Class Manufacturing business philosophy at SE Labelling Dynamics, PrintWeeks 1999 Label Printer of the Year, the Norwegian-based labels group is seeking new ways to improve on its success.
Ken Forster, managing director, said: "We are going deeply into the market all the way across Europe, investigating our position and others, to work out how best to steer ourselves." Professional assistance has been engaged, but Forster was deliberately vague: "We are working with some people."
He said the study was necessary to ensure survival in todays rapidly consolidating labels market, pointing to the recent demise of Ferguson and problems at Jarvis Porter. "We are doing this because nobody up till now has had the answer."
He insisted it was not SEs intention to snap up all its big rivals and monopolise the market. "To do that you would have to be exclusively committed to the UK market and I am not. The UK is a shitty market." He added: "We have no current plans to make acquisitions in the UK."
Forster admitted he is forecasting no growth in SEs UK business this year, as "our priority is to look after our customers through the transfer (of production from London to Gateshead)". But next year, he is hoping to at least keep pace with the predicted market growth of 5%-6%. "We would hope for a little bit more, provided we stabilise in the right way."
Story by Tania Mason