Austriacard acquired Tag Systems, formerly known as Nitecrest, in 2021. Tag Systems manufactures many of the UK’s challenger banks’ cards and sends them directly to customers with all requisite personalised print.

In a joint statement, Tag Systems’ founders Ronnie Hart, president, and Leeroy Pye, CEO, said that following its merger with Austriacard the business had become a “true global business”, with a presence in 18 countries.

They added: “With big plans for further expansion of the facility in Leyland, we look forward to further growing our banking and retail card business in both physical products and digital services with the support of the enlarged wider group.”

Hart, speaking to Printweek, explained: “[The expansion] will be quite a big change to our organisation going forward.”

The site, a 13,000sqm facility in Lancashire, currently provides work for around 125 staff and houses a huge range of kit, including an HP Indigo, two Koenig & Bauer litho presses and a raft of specialist finishing and personalisation kit.

The company's UK turnover reached nearly £28m last year.

Hart continued: “We’re planning to go into more high end, sophisticated cards, and we’re expanding our personalisation area, very much for our banking card division. [...]

“It’s going to be a lot of tech, new equipment, new personalisation equipment, card manufacturing equipment enhancements, as well as high end equipment for manufacturing plastic cards.”

The proposed expansion has a target finish date of October 2023.