The deals with HP and Durst together represent nearly £2.25m worth of investment for the Brentwood-based independent label and packaging manufacturer.
Managing director Steve Baker’s initial plan was just to visit the Messe Düsseldorf show with sons Harry and Tom Baker for exposure to the vast print industry and the new technologies within. After a change of mindset the day before flying to Germany, the trio arrived in Düsseldorf last Wednesday (5 June) with a mission.
Having launched digitally printed flexible packaging division BakPac in 2020 with HP’s Indigo 20000 press, it upgraded to the Indigo 200k in January 2024 and decided to sign for a second Indigo 200k, an additional press for the business, in Germany.
Steve Baker said: “We have been seriously impressed with the performance and productivity levels of the 200k that we installed in January this year. This has enabled us to go for and win larger contracts with confidence which is excellent news for our business.
“We are confident this growth will continue and to ensure we are able to maintain an excellent, fast service the second 200k press was an easy choice to make.
“The way the HP team was able to react at such short notice to put this deal together was very impressive and I look forward to more collaboration with the guys in the future.”
Clare Revell, HP Industrial Print regional business manager for the UK and Ireland, added: “I’m thrilled that we have agreed the sale of a second Indigo 200k flexible packaging press to Steve Baker and the team at Baker Labels, at Drupa only six months after the installation of the first one. We couldn’t be happier to be associated with such a dynamic, successful, forward-thinking company. Congratulations to Steve and the team!”
The logistics of an installation date are yet to be agreed on but the company said there is room ready and waiting for the press.
Following the HP deal, the trio then moved on to the Durst Group stand where Tom Baker negotiated on a Durst TAU 340 RSC, an inkjet press that represents the company’s first investment with the manufacturer.
Tom Baker said: “This press will take our inkjet quality to a new level. The team will be excited to get their hands on this one!”
Simon Cosh, UK and Ireland label business development manager at Durst, added: “I’m absolutely delighted that Bakers have placed their faith and invested in the Durst Tau RSC. It’s the first RSC with LED and the new Hawk Ai scanning system in the UK so the height of inkjet technology. We look forward to a fruitful partnership that pushes the boundaries and capabilities of inkjet for labels and packaging.”
The current plan is to see the Durst press installed at Bakers within the next three months. The machine will replace one of its two Screen Truepress inkjet printers installed in 2015.
The 112-staff business, which turns over £16m, has also just installed its second Galaxy Packtech pouch converter into its new factory facility a couple of units away that will house all of its flexible packaging finishing. By the end of this year this new facility will hold four Galaxy Packtech lines, including one for flat bottom pouches.
