One of the fastest growing label converters in Ireland, Label World, says it has increased its business by 100% over the past four years with the aid of its new Mark Andy flexo technology.

Founded in 1998 and still 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.

Beginning life with two 10” five-color Comco Cadet UV/flexo presses and moving on to the Mark Andy 2200 8-color UV flexo press series in 2004, the company set out its stall with American technology for good reason, according to O’Rourke. “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.”

Still based in Swords, some 10 miles north of Dublin, the company’s headquarters has grown from 5,000 square feet to its current 15,000 square-foot space 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 13” press with eight full UV flexo print units, delam/relam, turnbars and a sheeter.  “We were promised it would triple our capacity – and it did,” he adds.

By now, the company had added digital print capability and converting lines and needed extra space, so in 2017 purchased the adjacent 10,000 square-foot unit. The following year, it 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 13” web width, the Evolution Series E5 is an 8-color full UV press with delam and relam capabilities. It has cantilevered unwind and rewind, web cleaner and corona treater, a single vertical die station, as well as QCDC and matrix wind-up. Its installation coincided with another record year for sales and further BRCGS accreditation. Around the same time, and as an inherent part of its commitment to “going green,” the company installed more than 180 solar panels on its factory roof in 2022 to complete the second phase of its Renewable Energy Project, which also included the addition of charging points for its fleet of electric vehicles.  “We are steadily moving toward being carbon-neutral, which is a “win-win” for both the environment and our customers,” he says.

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, turnbars, 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,” comments Ivan Broderick, production manager.

“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,” explains Conor Keegan, Label World’s newly promoted general manager.

Currently, around half of Label World’s total sales output is printed flexo on its Mark Andy presses, with around 50% of the business being trade work, selling to other label companies and general printers. Looking ahead, O’Rourke sees the implementation of Phase 3 of the company’s Renewable Energy Project and another 50% sales increase over the next few years.