The 530mm-wide AB Graphic International machines have been installed at the Bradford, Yorkshire-based labelling manufacturer’s 2,323sqm premises over the course of the past 12 months.

The first was installed around 12 months ago, the second went in around five months ago and the third is due to be installed in around two months time. All three new machines are additional to the company’s plant list, which also includes seven other Omega machines.

Watermill Press is among the first companies in the UK to deploy the devices, which are fully servo driven and have automatic tail and leader label stripping capability.

They are linked directly to heavy-duty Vectra turret rewinders and one line is fitted with three flexo print stations and adhesive printing facilities.

Managing director Dale Deacon, said: “Our investment is customer-driven after feedback from our clients highlighted their need for high-quality products, faster lead times, more volume and lower production costs.

“This new machinery is the best available anywhere in the world and client feedback has been tremendous. It has vastly increased the capacity of the plant but has also increased our productivity and reduced our production costs. It’s also allowed us to alternate processes that were previously manual.

“In terms of the line where we got the three flexo heads fitted, that took us into levels of capability that we’d not had before.

“We picked up two new contracts, which we couldn’t have done without these machines, which took our turnover from £5.5m in the financial year before last to £7.5m in the last financial year.”

The business had researched the market prior to its investment by visiting various trade events but found that the AB Graphic machines were the best fit for its requirements.

“Once again, AB Graphic International has designed and created an incredible product, which is why we have worked with them for nearly 20 years; it’s the right partner for us,” said Deacon.

Watermill Press is a certified living wage employer with 26 members of staff. It manufactures product identification labels for clients in the food and soft drinks industries including Marks and Spencer, Britvic, Princes Food and the Robert McBride Group.

These clients use the firm’s labels to create high-quality barcodes for case and pallet identification.