Propack tops mega investment drive with Canon inkjet

Clough: "2021 was a really strong year for us"
Clough: "2021 was a really strong year for us"

Direct mail specialist Propack has topped off investment of over £2.7m into new technology and equipment for its West Yorkshire site with its biggest purchase yet, a Canon VarioPrint iX3200 cutsheet inkjet printer.

Founded in 1995, the Huddersfield-headquartered business has, since celebrating its 25th anniversary, taken delivery of three Argos F500 UV coaters, to replace traditional plastic laminators, three Xerox Iridesse four-colour digital presses, and two CMC enclosing machines as well as the Canon press, which was the most recent installation on 1 March.

The business has also made various upgrades to its 2,787sqm bespoke site’s outputs and processes.

Additionally, Propack has expanded its production team to 40, a 38% increase, to support its growing client base after winning major new contracts including Moonpig, KCOM, Leonard Cheshire Disability, and TUI UK. In total, it has won over 30 new clients since January 2021 and now employs 75 staff overall.

Propack managing director Jason Clough said: “2021 was a really strong year for us and I am incredibly proud of the team for continuing to deliver exceptional results for our clients.

“We hope that this significant investment will solidify our future growth plans and enable our team to continue delivering innovative and creative campaigns for our clients, present and future.”

He added: “As a business, we are dedicated to sourcing the best quality and most sustainable solutions for our clients and helping to educate people on the sustainability credentials of the print sector.

“Moving away from the traditional plastic laminators and opting for the UV coaters is just one of the steps we are taking to improve our outputs and support our clients with their own sustainability goals.”

Stuart Rising, head of commercial print at Canon UK & Ireland, also commented on the VarioPrint iX3200 installation: “We are delighted with the results Propack has achieved in just a couple of months with the VarioPrint iX3200, and we’re looking forward to continuing to help the company achieve its ambitions and goals.

“The device is the perfect fit for businesses looking to invest in a press that delivers increased productivity and flexibility, in addition to outstanding print quality.”

While it did not disclose specifics, Propack said it had also recently achieved a 21% increase to its “seven-figure” annual turnover.

Its customer base covers both B2C and B2B but its sector specialisms include retail, charity, travel, and automotive and it works with brands including Go Outdoors, Mercedes Benz, and Travis Perkins.

The business holds several accreditations to support its commitment to ethical and sustainable practices, including the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certification and ISO 14001 for environmental management.