Over the past few months the Newcastle-based business has taken delivery of equipment including a CMC mailing machine and a Buhrs BB600 inserter with camera technology, brought in to replace an outgoing Buhrs machine.
The investment will provide increased capacity, additional security and integrity, and fail-safe redundancy, the company said. It has also installed additional unspecified kit, including a polywrapping line and a digital mono printer.
The new equipment has joined two existing Xerox Versant digital printers and a Presstek 52DI digital offset press.
Washington Direct Mail marketing manager Jason Sullock said: “The CMC machine can be linked directly to match the data being produced from our digital printing presses by 2D barcodes and weight technology.
“We have a five-year plan and we know what we need to achieve it. These purchases are a step along the way. We’ve reorganised the whole of our factory floor to accommodate the new lines.”
The business is also currently looking at an additional £350,000 investment in new foiling and spot UV machinery, Sullock added.
Washington Direct Mail secured ISO 27001 accreditation last month following two years of preparation and the implementation of necessary processes.
“The completion of the initial submission took place in January 2018, but confirmation that we had achieved certification only came through in June,” said Sullock.
“Ironically, we were then inspected in July for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 and ISO 27001 and passed with flying colours and no non-conformances.”
Washington Direct Mail managing director Lynn Beasley added: “By gaining ISO 27001 accreditation, we are reaffirming to our existing clients that they can have total confidence in the work that we do for them, and we are also positioning ourselves for huge opportunities in new markets. Essentially, we are futureproofing the business.”
Established in 1983, Washington Direct Mail is set to double its turnover to more than £3m in the current financial year. The company employs between 30 and 50 staff, depending on the time of year and the current production workload.
It serves clients nationwide in a wide range of areas including financial services, retail, education, transport, software and social housing.
