Mailbox invests to boost charity offering

Wright: proactive strategy prioritising sustainability
Wright: proactive strategy prioritising sustainability

Mailbox has invested in a new high-spec CMC line to enhance its raffle pack production capabilities.

The Leicester-based firm became an independent company in February 2020 after Dave Wright and Peter Wood bought the business following the closure of Taylor Bloxham Group. 

Wright said that the £35,000 investment in a CMC K677 enclosing line allowed the firm to increase its offering for the charity sector, both directly and for print management clients. 

“It extends our capabilities for raffle mailings. The CMC has an eight-station batch feeder and can enclose multiple raffle books,” he explained.

“Not many companies can do more than six items in a pack.”

The CMC K677 encloses up to C4 size envelopes, has camera matching and can enclose up to 12,000 items per hour. It replaces one of the firm’s four existing enclosing lines. 

It was installed last week and is in the process of being commissioned.

Wright said that, following the closure of Edwardthompson earlier this year, Mailbox was now in an industry-leading position for raffle pack production. 

All of the firm’s lines can now enclose seven or more items, while three have camera matching.

Mailbox personalises on two Nipson VaryPress 200 reel-fed digital presses, alongside two Ricoh 8320 cut sheet devices. It plans to add high-speed colour in the next 18 months. 

Wright said Mailbox had remained on track through the pandemic, with no redundancies made. The business has 21 employees and sales of £2.5m. 

Via its holding company Mailbox has also recently purchased its 1,490sqm Scudamore Road site, and has since replaced all the factory and office lighting with LEDs, installed three electric car charging points, and implemented plans to fit a 35.49KW roof-mounted array solar panel system.

Wright commented: “The post pandemic backdrop continues to be challenging, with everything from rising energy costs to geo-political uncertainties. The business remains mindful of said factors, with a proactive strategy prioritising sustainability above anything else. 

“We’ll continue to build on our market leading reputation for customer service, quality and flexibility, complimented by a diverse range of production capabilities and specialisations.”

As well as charities, print management companies, the firm’s client base includes marketing agencies, retailers, and travel and leisure firms.