Installation of our new Eterna 1 diecutter is now complete and we are up and running. This is part of our Phase 2 investment, following on from the installation of our new casemaker, and automatic pallet line last year. Eterna 2 (a duplicate machine) is due to be delivered to us in May. The installations include a new greener waste system which will replace the waste system for the whole factory and use around 75% less power than the previous. The new machines will run at more than double the speed as the older ones, take up less floor space and retain or enhance all the same features and capability as the Vantage. Having duplicate machines also enables us to continue to run during downtime/servicing. This will take our 2022 investment to over £1m, and £2.4 million in the last two years.

Sales Director Steve Gabell said ‘Diecutting has always been a major part of our production activities, and in some years, as much as 50% of what we produce runs through a die cut process. We were keen to start looking to replace some of our older machines and maximise any opportunities we had to try and get into more volume based markets at the same time. We have only decommissioned one of our old diecutters, which means we will now have four machines that will do flatbed diecutting and we are able to focus more on which are suitable for volume and which we can use for our smaller runs. This ensures we are able to focus our offering our customers based on the cost saving needs they require’.