Potts Print
Potts Print (UK) is an independent printing, packaging and direct mail company based in Cramlington, Northumberland. The company began in North Shields in 1875, and has continued to expand ever since. It is a North East success story and an employer of 165 people[1] in the region.
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History
In 1875, William John Potts established W J Potts & Son and began trading from the Atlas Printing and Publishing Works on the corner of Union and Camden Street, North Shields.
John Dryden Potts was running the company in 1910, renaming it John D Potts and moving to Little Bedford Street, North Shields. His son George joined the company in 1930. The company survived both world wars, although it ceased trading for a period between 1939 and 1945 as the proprietor and staff were called up for military service.
The business was incorporated as Potts Printers Limited in 1954, with George Potts as Managing Director. Stuart Couch, future Chairman, joined as an apprentice compositor in 1950, becoming General Manager in 1965 and Works Director in 1970. In the mid 1970’s, Stuart Couch was appointed Managing Director and the company relocated to Waterville Road, North Shields.
The current Chairman and Chief Executive Michael Sandford-Couch, son of Stuart, joined the company in 1985 and took control in 1995. In 2006 the company moved to a new 100,000 sq ft HQ and print facility named Atlas House, in Nelson Park, Cramlington, where it is currently trading. In 2010 the company was rebranded as Potts Print (UK) Ltd.
Expansion
Since becoming Potts Print (UK), the company has continued to invest in equipment and human resources. The number of employees grew from 120 to 165 people between October 2010 and June 2011. During that time the company invested over £1.3million in a third Roland 700 B1 printing press[2], as well as a Xerox 4112 digital press and a Buhrs BB300 envelope enclosing machine for its direct mail division. Turnover in 2010 was £12million, with a projected £15million for 2011.
Technology
The company operates from a 100,000 square foot print facility that houses the following equipment:
Workstations
11 x Apple iMacs (OSX 10.6)
2 x Apple iMacs (OSX 10.4)
2 x Apple G5s (OSX 10.4)
1 x Apple G4 Powerbook (OSX 10.4)
1 x Apple MacBook Pro (OSX 10.6)
1 x Apple xServe
1 x Apple xRaid (7Tb capacity)
1 x HP Ultrium Drive
Agfa Apogee PrePress 6.0 PDF workflow
2 x Agfa Sherpa colour proofing stations (maximum width 1,118mm)
1 x Agfa Sherpa 24m colour proofing station (maximum width 610mm)
1 x Epson 9800 colour proofing station (maximum width 1,147mm)
1 x Epson 4880 colour proofing station (maximum width 432mm)
1 x Océ CS655 A3 colour copier/laser printer
Scanning
1 x Microtek 9800XL A3 flatbed scanner
Computer to Plate
2 x Agfa Avalon Thermal CTP systems with C95 finishing units - using Agfa Azura TS chemistry-free plates
Packaging Technology
1 x Impact CAD software
1 x Zund carton sample-maker
QuarkXpress 7, 8, 9
Photoshop CS4, CS5
Illustrator CS4, CS5
InDesign CS4, CS5
Freehand MX
Pagemaker 7.0
Adobe Acrobat 8.0, 9.0 Professional with Pitstop editing capabilities
Extensis Suitcase Fusion1 and 2
Flightcheck 6.5
Microsoft Office, Mac 2008, Mac 2011
ODDA variable data
Satori Bulk Mailer 5
MAN Roland 706 - B1, 6 colour with inline coating & drying
2 x MAN Roland 705 - B1, 5 colour with inline coating & drying
Heidelberg CD74 - B2, 6 colour with inline coating & drying
Heidelberg SM52 - B3, 2 colour Perfector
with inline numbering and perforating
Heidelberg PM52 - B3, 2 colour
Presstek 52DI-AC, 4 colour direct imaging press with inline coating & drying
All using conventional inks and water based coatings
Digital Printing
1 x Océ VP6160 (mono)
1 x Xerox 700 (colour)
1 x Xerox 4112 (mono)
PRINT FINISHING
Diecutting & Creasing
1 x Iberica B1
1 x Heidelberg Cylinder B2
Guillotines
2 x Polar B1
2 x Polar B2
Folders
1 x MBO B1
1 x Stahl B1
1 x Stahl B2
1 x Herzog + Heymann pharmaceutical folder
1 x Muller Martini Bravo Plus six station saddle stitching line with cover feed
3 x Horizon inline booklet makers
Carton Gluing & Folding
1 x Signature Folder Gluing Line, Straight line,
4 corner, 6 corner,crash lock and bespoke gluing capability
1 x Komfi Delta B2 laminator
2 x Buhrs BB300 Enclosing Line Envelope enclosing up to 10mm capacity (Gummed wallet style envelopes only)
1 x AMS Astrojet 3800 inkjetter with Flexmail
1 x AMS Autowrap 30 polywrapping machine
1 x AMS Accufast KT/FX mailing tabber
MISCELLANEOUS
1 x Hang 114-00-4 paper drilling machine
1 x Worsley Brehmer Supastitch machine
1 x Multinak Nagel stitching machine
2 x Manual shrink wrapping machines
1 x Automatic shrink wrapping machine
1 x A3 padding press
1 x PB3000 Semi-automatic wire-o punching and binding machine
1 x Horizon VAC-100a collator
1 x Rotek 900SP pile turner
1 x Morgana Autocreaser Pro 50
Environmental Awareness
The printing industry has a number of environmental standards that some printing companies choose to comply with.
These include:
ISO 14001 - Environmental Management System
FSC - Forest Stewardship Council
PEFC - Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification
Potts Print (UK) has developed its own environmental brand called Potts GreenPrint[3]. The mark represents the environmental efforts the company as a whole is actively practicing and encouraging.
These include:
Waterless printing[4]
Alcohol-free printing[5]
Chemical-free platemaking[6]
Vegetable-based inks[7]
Using paper from sustainable sources
Recycling of waste paper, cardboard, plastic, glass
Printing our internal newsletter on waste material
Power saving habits (switching off lights, heaters, taps, phone chargers and computers when not in use)
A car share scheme
Accreditations & Memberships
Potts Print (UK) holds the following accreditations:
ISO 9001 - Quality Management System
OHSAS 18001 - Occupational Health & Safety
BRC - British Retail Consortium Approved
It is also a member of these professional organisations:
NECC - North East Chamber of Commerce[8]
NEPA - North East Publicity Association[9]
IOM3 - Institute of Packaging
DMA - Direct Marketing Association
Social Media
Potts Print (UK) has embraced social networking as a way of marketing itself as well as securing new business. The company is active on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Gowalla, Delicious and Vimeo. It also writes the Atlas View blog.
References
- ^ Employment figure at 24th June 2011
- ^ Tim Sheahan, Print Week, 4th April 2011: http://www.printweek.com/Business/article/1063668/potts-print-uk-targets-14m-turnover-following-13m-roland-press-spend/
- ^ Potts GreenPrint: http://www.potts.co.uk/pottsgreenprint
- ^ Waterless printing press: http://www.presstek.com/products-plates-ctp-pearldry.htm
- ^ Alcohol-free printing press: http://www.manroland.com/com/archive_en/3232.htm
- ^ Chemical-free platemaking machine: http://www.agfa.com/en/gs/knowledge_training/white_papers/chemistry_free_plates_np.jsp
- ^ Vegetable-based inks: http://www.stehlinhostag.com/productpdf/inks.html
- ^ North East Chamber of Commerce: http://www.necc.co.uk
- ^ North East Publicity Association: http://www.nepanews.net
External links
Atlas View: Behind the scenes of a north east printing company