The Label Makers expand luxury label embellishment offering with a world-first bespoke MPS and ABG solution

Designing and producing high-quality premium labels is a passion of The Label Makers. For over 50 years, this private, family-owned business has served UK-brands, reaching many market sectors including food, beverages, personal care, petro chemical and decorative coatings.

Label embellishment that create strong visual and tactile impact on products is one of their specialities. Over the years, The Label Makers has heavily invested in technology solutions in this area, with long-standing partnerships with reputable narrow-web equipment manufactures including MPS and A B Graphic International.

Comprehensive range of print processes

Complementing their embellishment craft are three MPS flexo presses, including an EC model running full production for over 13 years. In addition to high-quality flexo, rotary screen printing is also a feature on two of these presses. For finishing of digitally produced labels, The Label Makers owns four Digicon Series 3 digital finishing machines, with two equipped with the ABG Big Foot 50-ton capacity hot foil/embossing module.

The ABG Big Foot features 50 tons of pressure, with the capability to run multiple foil feeding along and across the web to create stunning effects and finishes, and cost effectively by using foil save. A high-quality and highly automated multi-substrate flexo press, the MPS EF is especially designed for label production and flexible packaging printing on various substrates and enables operators to maximise press performance, thanks to its ease of operation and reliability.

A first-ever bespoke solution

In an effort to reduce tooling and hot foiling cost while increasing production speed in conventional printing, managing director David Webster of The Label Makers approached MPS and A B Graphic International with a request for a bespoke solution that would combine flexo printing on their MPS EF 10-colour press with an integrated ABG Big Foot hot foil/embossing module.

As the Big Foot was previously designed to accommodate maximum material width of 320mm, the solution involved engineering effort from ABG to accommodate a 430mm length on the MPS press.

Collaboration key to successful installation

Nick Tyrer, sales director of MPS Systems (UK) Ltd and Tony Bell, ABG sales director closely collaborated during the project to ensure a seamless installation of the new Big Foot hot foil/embossing module on the MPS EF press. In a matter of months after Webster’s initial request, The Label Makers became a proud owner of an MPS/ABG combination press – marking the first time an ABG Big Foot module is integrated on a flexo press, along with another first in the module accommodating 430mm material.

“I am extremely pleased with both MPS and ABG in successfully delivering us a highly customized solution for label embellishment,” said Webster. “During a week-end they began work on integrating the MPS EF press with the newly engineered ABG Big Foot hot foil/embossing module and within a week we were up and running – in perfect registration.”

Label printing with an edge in decoration

With their MPS/ABG combo press, The Label Makers can run larger label print runs in a single pass, embellished with silkscreen or multi-coloured hot foil for the ultimate in luxury decoration of beer, wine, spirits and personal care labels.

Offering a full range of services in label printing, The Label Makers is fully-equipped to provide digital, conventional and embellished designs, as well as the increasingly popular peel and read labels. They work with customers to find the process which generates maximum impact for their brand and ensures product stands out - in even the most competitive of sectors.

Photo caption: The MPS EF430 flexo press integrated with an ABG Big Foot 50-ton hot foil and embossing unit