The Norwich printer is also spending 100,000 on a 250m2 warehouse extension to accommodate the presses a 10-colour SM74-10P perfector and a two-colour SM74-2P perfector giving it total floorspace of 1,500m2.
The investment is the culmination of a business plan put in place when managing director Mark Hipperson led an MBO in 1999. "We had a year of stabilisation, then we planned to keep growing the business thereafter," he said.
Last year the 3.5m-turnover firm installed a fully automatic Topsetter 74 platesetter, Polar guillotine and Stahl folder, as well as a fully integrated MIS.
The new presses will replace Crowes five-year-old SM74-5P and a six-year-old SM74-2P when they arrive in December. "We considered buying two five-colours, but the questions in our mind were space, turnaround times and overall efficiency. Were also very good in B2, so when the 10-colour long-perfector came out we started looking at it seriously," said Hipperson.
Story by Rachel Barnes
Have your say in the Printweek Poll
Related stories
Latest comments
"Gosh! That’s a huge debt - especially HMRC! It’s a shock that HMRC allowed such an amount to be accumulated."
"Whatever happened to the good old fashioned cash job! At least the banks didn't take 2-3% of each sale. After 30 odd transactions that £100 quid you had has gone."
"It's amazing what can be found on the "web" nowadays!"
Up next...
Replacement 'will be operational later this year'
Walstead makes decision on Bicester 64pp
'Ridiculous decision'
Unite “prepared to fight” on proposed DS Smith site closure
Also helps mitigate volatile energy prices
