Macfarlane Group aims to smooth out the dent in its label profits after buying two firms for 5m.


Abbot Labels in Dublin cost Macfarlane 3.5m. It has 50 staff and produces Reseal-It food labels for supermarkets like Tesco and Sainsburys. Turnover is 4.5m.


Macfarlane also bought Reseal-It, the Swedish firm that owns the intellectual property on the labels.


The acquisitions would keep Macfarlane at the forefront of technological applications, it said.


The firm moved after its label division's operating profits fell by 600,000 last year to 1m (PrintWeek, 25 August).


Abbot Labels recently installed a 750,000 10-colour Comco ProGlide multiple-substrate press, which can print on material from film to cardboard.


Production director Daragh Whelan said the UV press would give consistency on longer runs and more colours on more substrates.


Assistant production director John Fields said it was the largest flexo label press in the country. The firm also owns an eight-colour ProGlide.


Story by Jez Abbott