Managing director Jon Olley said the move was the result of changes in the company’s client base, including company closures and the fact that a number of firms have taken laminating in-house by putting their own kit in. “The client base doesn’t warrant having two factories anymore,” he explained. “We can consolidate our laminating and varnishing services at Harleston. The two facilities were only 30 miles apart anyway, so this is a sensible and cost-effective way forward.” The company will close its smaller Bury St Edmunds site as a result, with the loss of eight jobs. Sales and transport manager Marvin Coe will transfer to Harleston. The 1,160sqm Harleston facility employs 20 people under factory manager Dean Ames. Olley also plans to expand the range of services offered at Harleston and is in the midst of evaluating the digital spot UV coating systems from Autobond, Scodix, MGI and Komfi. “That will be something completely new as a trade service,” he added. “Our finance director Mone Sharma is looking at the financial return on investment and we’re talking to major customers about this offering.” Coatings Direct’s clients include major book and magazine printers. It had sales of just under £3m last year....

The Bootle site, part of US-owned packaging group Crown Holdings, employs around 150 staff and produces metal cans and packaging for UK firms such as Cadbury, Jacobs and Jeyes. Around 28 employees, who make up the firm’s print unit, and a further eight from other divisions, are taking strike action after a 7% pay increase for all print staff that was agreed and confirmed in writing by management last year failed to materialise. The deal, which also involved a new seasonal shift pattern, was due to coincide with the arrival of a new four-colour printing press. However following its recent installation staff were told that only those directly responsible for operating the press – around eight – would be entitled to the rise, according to Unite regional officer Phil Morgan. He said: “The increase was clearly part of the agreement, there was no ambiguity at all. We received it in writing and they have now come back at the point the press is being commissioned saying it will only apply to the operators.” Morgan said that a planned site move to a neighbouring facility has also not materialised. Union members have observed an overtime ban for the past month and took part in the first of three planned stoppage days, on Friday 28 June. A further two are planned for tomorrow (5 July) and next Friday (12 July). Morgan said: “We haven’t heard anything from them at all since this started. We are open to negotiation but they haven’t indicated to us that they are open to that. In our final meeting when we indicated this was the likely route we would go down, it didn’t change anything.” No-one was available to comment at the company....

The Bootle site, part of US-owned packaging group Crown Holdings, employs around 150 staff and produces metal cans and packaging for UK firms such as Cadbury, Jacobs and Jeyes. Around 28 employees, who make up the firm’s print unit, and a further eight from other divisions, are taking strike action after a 7% pay increase for all print staff that was agreed and confirmed in writing by management last year failed to materialise. The deal, which also involved a new seasonal shift pattern, was due to coincide with the arrival of a new four-colour printing press. However following its recent installation staff were told that only those directly responsible for operating the press – around eight – would be entitled to the rise, according to Unite regional officer Phil Morgan. He said: “The increase was clearly part of the agreement, there was no ambiguity at all. We received it in writing and they have now come back at the point the press is being commissioned saying it will only apply to the operators.” Morgan said that a planned site move to a neighbouring facility has also not materialised. Union members have observed an overtime ban for the past month and took part in the first of three planned stoppage days, on Friday 28 June. A further two are planned for tomorrow (5 July) and next Friday (12 July). Morgan said: “We haven’t heard anything from them at all since this started. We are open to negotiation but they haven’t indicated to us that they are open to that. In our final meeting when we indicated this was the likely route we would go down, it didn’t change anything.” No-one was available to comment at the company....

The PrintWeek Awards are the industry’s flagship awards programme, judged by leading print buyers – giving them an unrivalled reputation as the only awards that matter. With 24 categories ranging from business performance awards like Company of the Year, SME of the Year, Environmental Company of the Year and Cross-media company of the year, to quality awards in 18 different disciplines, the chances are that there’s a category that represents the ideal showcase for your business. For details on the categories and how to enter, visit printweekawards.com But what’s the value of winning a PrintWeek Award? Sure, you get a great night out with top-notch entertainment, but where’s the return on investment? “I think winning an award just reinforces to our clients or prospects that they don’t have to just take our word for it on how good we are, it’s industry recognised,” said Noel Warner, chief executive of last year’s Cross-media Company of the Year Inc Direct. “When we position the PrintWeek Awards to our clients, we explain that they’re the Oscars of the industry. Just to be shortlisted is fantastic, but to win an award is like winning best film – especially when we show them the calibre of buyers that are on the judging panels,” he added. This was echoed by Chris Cooper, managing director of Hampton Printing (Bristol), last year’s Brochure Printer of the Year: “From our point of view we’re well known for quality, but it goes down extremely well with clients to win an award like this. It encourages clients to be loyal to a degree, but it’s also a reward for the team here and further boosts staff morale.” The final word on the value of winning a PrintWeek Award goes to David Laybourne, managing director of last year’s Company of the Year Real Digital International. “It felt like we had come of age and that even our rivals had to take notice and admit that we had made it and were a good business. You don’t get that sort of recognition in any other way – I was honestly taken aback by how genuinely pleased the whole Real Digital team was about the award – and I was incredibly proud of all 133 of them. “I know it sounds glib, but I’m proud to be part of a business like this, because I would hate to be part of one where no one cares.” So if you haven’t entered the PrintWeek Awards yet, the only question is: how much do you care about your business? For more information on entering, visit printweekawards.com or contact event manager Ed Wyre on 020 7501 6742....

The PrintWeek Awards are the industry’s flagship awards programme, judged by leading print buyers – giving them an unrivalled reputation as the only awards that matter. With 24 categories ranging from business performance awards like Company of the Year, SME of the Year, Environmental Company of the Year and Cross-media company of the year, to quality awards in 18 different disciplines, the chances are that there’s a category that represents the ideal showcase for your business. For details on the categories and how to enter, visit printweekawards.com But what’s the value of winning a PrintWeek Award? Sure, you get a great night out with top-notch entertainment, but where’s the return on investment? “I think winning an award just reinforces to our clients or prospects that they don’t have to just take our word for it on how good we are, it’s industry recognised,” said Noel Warner, chief executive of last year’s Cross-media Company of the Year Inc Direct. “When we position the PrintWeek Awards to our clients, we explain that they’re the Oscars of the industry. Just to be shortlisted is fantastic, but to win an award is like winning best film – especially when we show them the calibre of buyers that are on the judging panels,” he added. This was echoed by Chris Cooper, managing director of Hampton Printing (Bristol), last year’s Brochure Printer of the Year: “From our point of view we’re well known for quality, but it goes down extremely well with clients to win an award like this. It encourages clients to be loyal to a degree, but it’s also a reward for the team here and further boosts staff morale.” The final word on the value of winning a PrintWeek Award goes to David Laybourne, managing director of last year’s Company of the Year Real Digital International. “It felt like we had come of age and that even our rivals had to take notice and admit that we had made it and were a good business. You don’t get that sort of recognition in any other way – I was honestly taken aback by how genuinely pleased the whole Real Digital team was about the award – and I was incredibly proud of all 133 of them. “I know it sounds glib, but I’m proud to be part of a business like this, because I would hate to be part of one where no one cares.” So if you haven’t entered the PrintWeek Awards yet, the only question is: how much do you care about your business? For more information on entering, visit printweekawards.com or contact event manager Ed Wyre on 020 7501 6742....