His new business, Alchemy Print Finishers, is based in the shadows of Old Trafford and will initially specialise in coatings and laminating before moving into more general print finishing towards the end of the year. A geographical expansion is also on the cards.

Anderson sold Qualicoat, his former Manchester and Leeds-based coatings and finishing business, to Alcan Print Finishers back in
2002 and has since been bound by a non-compete covenant.

He said it was his intention to stay out of the industry when he sold Qualicoat but found he missed it too much. "I've just mentally cabbaged since I left it. I missed the people, the suppliers, the lads on the shop floor, just the hustle and bustle of it," he said.

Alchemy has taken delivery of a high-speed Sheetmaster CT 102 laminator from Autobond, which runs at 95m/min. Anderson described the machine, which can run either water-based or thermal lamination, as "a phenomenal piece of kit".

The Autobond is joined at the 920m sq factory by a Sakurai Maestro 102A fully automatic cylinder press, and a Steineman Colibri 76 roller press is expected to be ordered within the next month.
This kit line-up will be replicated at a Leeds site, which Anderson hopes to open by Spring next year. Longer term Anderson plans to open a third site in the Midlands.