Label World doubles its sales with Mark Andy presses

Irish converter Label World, which recently installed a high-spec Performance Series P3, has registered an increase in its business by 100 percent over the past four years with the aid of its new Mark Andy flexo technology. 

Founded in 1998 and owned and managed by Declan O’Rourke, Label World has plotted a path of continual growth and success over the past 26 years, winning both flexo and digital print awards along the way and building a business that is both diverse and environmentally friendly.

The company was founded with two 10in 5-color Comco Cadet UV/flexo presses and moved onto the popular Mark Andy 2200 8-color UV flexo press series in 2004.

‘The presses are almost over-engineered, which makes them reliable and consistent performers long-term and just what you need when you are building a business,’ said O’Rourke.

The company headquarters has grown from 5,000sqft to 15,000sqft over the years and now employs 30 staff. ISO 9001 and BRC/IoP Global Standard were achieved in 2007 and 2008 respectively and by 2015 business had grown to a point where additional flexo capacity was required. Following extensive print tests at Mark Andy’s UK showroom in Macclesfield a Performance Series P3 was ordered and was one of the first to be installed in Ireland.

The decision was made to go wider, so the Performance Series P3 was specified as a 13in press with eight full UV flexo print units, delam/relam, turn bars and a sheeter. 

‘We were promised it would triple our capacity – and it did,’ added O’Rourke. ‘By now, the company had added digital print capability and converting lines and needed extra space, so in 2017 purchased the adjacent 10,000sqft unit. The following year, we switched all production to low migration inks, achieving the AA BRC Standard rating, which offered greater opportunities to grow business in the food sector.’

In 2020, Label World invested in its most expensive press to date, a Mark Andy Evolution Series E5.  Staying with the 13in web width, the Evolution Series E5 is an 8-color full UV press with delam and relam capabilities. 

Most recently, Label World has added another Mark Andy Performance Series flexo press.  This a high-spec Performance Series P3 capable of running run water-based inks and varnish but also fitted with full LED/UV curing capability to produce peel/reseal labels.  A 7-color press, the Performance P3 features delam/relam, turn bars, hot air drying, a double die station, a crossover unit for multi-layer labels and a sheeter. 

‘We are keen to see if the LED/UV delivers what it promises in terms of efficiency – if it does, we will convert the other Mark Andy presses from conventional to LED/UV,’ commented production manager, Ivan Broderick.

‘You can tell how good their presses are by how few there are on the used market – people buy them and keep them.  It’s not just the technology it’s the support, guidance, and willingness to engage with you and your business that sets them apart from the others.  Their presses have transformed our company, and we would not have enjoyed the success we have without them,’ said Conor Keegan, Label World’s general manager.