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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:


PRE PRESS


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


Workflow

Agfa Apogee PrePress 6.0 PDF workflow


Proofing

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


Software

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


PRINTING


Lithographic Printing

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


Bindery

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


Laminating

1 x Komfi Delta B2 laminator


DIRECT MAIL


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

  1. ^ Employment figure at 24th June 2011
  2. ^ 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/
  3. ^ Potts GreenPrint: http://www.potts.co.uk/pottsgreenprint
  4. ^ Waterless printing press: http://www.presstek.com/products-plates-ctp-pearldry.htm
  5. ^ Alcohol-free printing press: http://www.manroland.com/com/archive_en/3232.htm
  6. ^ Chemical-free platemaking machine: http://www.agfa.com/en/gs/knowledge_training/white_papers/chemistry_free_plates_np.jsp
  7. ^ Vegetable-based inks: http://www.stehlinhostag.com/productpdf/inks.html
  8. ^ North East Chamber of Commerce: http://www.necc.co.uk
  9. ^ North East Publicity Association: http://www.nepanews.net


Atlas View: Behind the scenes of a north east printing company

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