Packaging
MARK ANDY CELEBRATES UK SUCCES WITH LEAN MANUFACTURING SEMINAR
Friday 14. November 2008 - Mark Andy UK Ltd, which this year celebrates 15 years of successful trading in the UK and Ireland, recently co-hosted a one-day seminar on Lean Manufacturing with leading substrate supplier, Fasson.
Entitled Innovation & Sustainability – a brighter future the main thrust was an evaluation of the part played by filmic substrates in a world that is growing an ever larger green conscience. With the latest statistics showing that behind Greece and Portugal, the UK and Ireland have the worst record in the EU for recycling and environmentally friendly waste disposal, the move into the new bio-plastic packaging, currently being driven by retailers, cannot come too soon.
The print demonstrations, which were held the Mark Andy showroom facility in Macclesfield, England, gave the company an opportunity to showcase its new servo driven 2200 press, which has enjoyed more than 30 sales worldwide since its launch this year. Two jobs were run off at speeds in excess of 100 m/min. Both featured Fasson 40-micron PE film with a 40-micron liner.
Speaking for Mark Andy, UK Managing Director Paul Briggs commented:
The 2200 has been a world leader for Mark Andy over the past 20 years, and the latest servo driven model is a perfect fit for todays lean manufacturing requirements. It is quieter, consumes less power, has fewer working parts, and is fitted with standard electronic components that are easily serviced from anywhere in the world.”
Highlighting the companys continued success, Briggs said that over 270 Mark Andy presses had been sold in the UK and Ireland since 1993, which consistently results in a 35% market share for narrow web modular flexo lines. Much of this success has come from the companys philosophy of
continuing development. “Todays 2200 is a very different machine in detail from a 1988 model, but fundamentally it still follows the original principles of solid simplicity that brings reliability and therefore sustained profits,” he said.
The unique experience offered by this large number of UK machine installations has proved invaluable to Mark Andy, which has begun to centralise its European parts distribution from Macclesfield. “We are ideally placed to become the European hub for parts with excellent communication links to all parts of the continent. We can offer next day delivery to most countries, and the expertise of our UK technicians is helping us to build market share rapidly on the continent,” added Briggs.
In addition to allowing faster delivery, centralising the warehouse and distribution in the UK will allow Mark Andy to broaden the range of items held on stock for immediate despatch, without adding to the overall inventory costs. It is seen as an important part of the companys own commitment to Lean Manufacturing and its growth as a global leader.