Latcham boosts cutting output with latest investment

The Baumann Wohlenberg 115 was installed last month
The Baumann Wohlenberg 115 was installed last month

Latcham has significantly increased its hourly cutting output after investing in a new Baumann Wohlenberg 115 high-speed guillotine.

Supplied by Friedheim International and installed last month, the ex-showroom device was purchased by Latcham as part of its 2021 replacement strategy, where it is seeking to identify more reliable and efficient equipment for its portfolio.

Latcham operations director Colin Mattinson said the company has already experienced a number of key benefits, including significantly faster cutting speeds.

“The new device has been received well by the production team; training was beneficial in order to understand the guillotine's programmable functionality.

“It has a larger cutting capacity than its replacement and we have significantly increased our cutting hourly outputs, therefore reducing the operational hourly costs.”

Last week Latcham revealed its rebrand, from Latcham Direct, including a new look, website and updated brand messaging that the company said strategically realigns it to a number of new sectors.

“Having more efficient and reliable equipment such as the Baumann Wohlenberg 115 will only assist Latcham in making positive inroads into these new markets,” said Mattinson.

Latcham is a longstanding customer of Friedheim, running a number of machines supplied by the company over the years.

“Friedheim assisted Latcham to transition over to inkjet by supplying an in-line Hunkeler CS6 cutter/stacker unit in 2017 with its chosen print provider at that time,” said Mattinson.

“We have always found Friedheim to be helpful and extremely knowledgeable of the equipment specifications and pulling together a package that meets our requirements on both timings and delivery and within our budget.”

Established in 2010, Latcham now employs more than 100 people between its office in Crawley and purpose-built 8,000sqm print facility in Bristol and has developed from a print, mail and fulfilment company to a provider of full service, tailored, personalised communications and fulfilment.

Serving both the public and private sectors, the business has worked for clients including Amazon, the NHS and SSE.

Just prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Latcham installed a second high-speed inkjet Canon Océ VarioPrint i300 sheetfed inkjet press. This followed its October 2019 acquisition of fellow Bristol firm Accent.