The Wellingborough, Northamptonshire-based company, which also supplies a wide range of stripping pins, pin holders, clamps and frames, said the extended range of stock and customised plates enables die makers, box makers and print finishers to meet their exact size and hole requirements.

The company can now offer 1mm steel cutting plates for a range of different makes of autoplaten, including Bobst, Heidelberg, Sanwa, Iberica and Asahi machines.

The new sizes, which are commercially available immediately, vary from 76 format up to 160 format to suit different types of machines.

Manufactured by Netherlands-based Perivo, the “competitively priced” plates are available in three different hardnesses – soft 20 Rockwell, medium 35 Rockwell and hard 50 HRC Rockwell – and a range of standard sizes, all of which C&T holds in stock and offers for next day delivery within the UK.

C&T commercial director Howard Mead said: “The new sizes cover the full gamut of all the machinery out there that uses tin plates. We previously offered the majority of Bobst die-cutting plates – the more popular formats – and now we’ve moved to all of the smaller machine manufacturers’ products as well.

“We’ve become the principal supplier for cutting plates in the UK so it’s been natural for us to add to our range as we progress into the market. We’ve also just started offering gripper bars for die-cutting machines and printing machines.”

While the steel cutting plates can be purchased in quantities from one upwards, Mead said they are usually sold in tens, fifties and hundreds.

“We can also work out what a customer’s annual usage is and offer them a consignment stock,” he added.

“So we could put in 100 plates and they could draw off what they wanted. If they had a quiet spell and only had 10 new makereadies then they would just pay for 10 plates, which is great for them and keeps their cashflow good.

“But if they have a run and use 80 to 100 plates then they could draw that out of stock. The advantage is that they don’t have multiple deliveries.”

At the end of 2018 C&T expanded its Sprintrubba range of rubber profiles with the addition of a new self-adhesive version.

It also recently rolled out improvements to its Reverse Bend Matrix product, unveiled a new strategy of managed inventory for its larger UK customers and launched Rapido, which it called “a brand-new concept in PVC creasing matrix”.