Bringing its total pouch conversion line-up to five, the installation has followed a major factory extension completed in early 2024 and is part of the Brentwood-based company’s ongoing £5m, two-year investment in new technology to meet growing demand for digitally printed, sustainable flexible packaging.
Phil Smith, operations manager at Bakers, said: “We’re committed to short lead times and high quality, and never want to be in a position where capacity holds us back. Going from three to five pouchmakers allows us to stay ahead of demand and continue delivering the service our customers rely on.”
The new pouchmakers offer enhanced sealing technology, specifically designed to improve performance with mono-materials, which Bakers said are increasingly sought after by brands due to their recyclability.
Their non-stop production features and intelligent web handling are said to enable faster changeovers, with improved consistency across short and long runs.
The investment supports BakPac’s existing digital print setup, which includes two HP Indigo 200K digital presses.
“We’re seeing brands demand faster turnarounds, lower MOQs and greater flexibility. This expansion allows us to meet that demand while maintaining premium quality – from the very first pouch to the hundred-thousandth,” added Smith.
The two new machines, which were bought direct from Galaxy Packtech, are being installed at BakPac’s expanded facility throughout May and are expected to be operational by early June.
Steve Baker, managing director at Bakers, also commented: “Flexible packaging is a very interesting market but it was in need of a shake-up, similar to labels 20 years ago when digital technology was first introduced.
“We have had a sharp learning curve but quickly realised this is not an area that you can stay small and grow slowly if you want to be successful – our customers are fast moving, fast developing and volumes can increase rapidly, they need a supplier that can match this and that’s exactly what BakPac can do.
“We have an amazing, knowledgeable, hardworking team that realise they are involved in something special and happily go the extra mile to help our customers grow.”
He further quipped: “The future is very exciting (guess I’m going to delay retirement again!)”
Bakers' current turnover figure is around £16m and it employs 119 staff.
