Pro Co
Jo Golding speaks to Carl Jackson, large-format manager, and Graeme Parry, production director at Pro Co, about the joy of seeing a process result in a unique end product
Sunday, 19 Nov 2017 19:36 GMT
Pro Co covers a wide range of services including commercial digital and litho print, automated print, marketing operations, and large-format signage
Going above and beyond
Pro Co hit the headlines in Signlink back in August with news of its
significant investment in new machinery, and from getting to know the
company better, it seems this is just one of the ways it is staying
ahead of the competition. With two sites, one in Sheffield and one in
Stansted, and 140 members of staff across the two, Pro Co is certainly
fully equipped to offer a broad range of services to its customers. Its
annual turnover of £14m is also indicative of a company that is growing
at a rapid rate.
(Above & below) Pro Co has two sites, one in Sheffield and one in Stansted
Carl Jackson, large-format manager, and Graeme Parry, production
director at Pro Co, tell me more about their own history with the
company and why they do what they do.
“I have been in the industry since 1998,” says Jackson, continuing: “I
enjoy creating something from scratch and then seeing it out and about
on the street, whether as a sign, on a vehicle, or as something 3D in
stores. It is great to see the whole process come to an end product. At
Pro Co, every day is different and every job is different, so it is
never boring. Something new comes along technology wise every year which
either makes the process quicker or produces a better product.”
Something new comes along technology wise every year which either makes the process quicker or produces a better product”
Parry first started working for Pro Co in 1999, and continues: “It was
my first job straight out of university and I started in the lasering
department. Since then I have worked in numerous roles within the
manufacturing side of the business up to my current role. The pace of
change is something that keeps you interested and keeps you on your
toes. The industry should never be stagnant and you should always be
looking at how to move forward through continuous improvement and
breaking new barriers.”
The industry should never be stagnant and you should always be
looking at how to move forward through continuous improvement and
breaking new barriers”
Pro Co covers a wide range of services including commercial digital and
litho print, automated print, dynamic communications, marketing
operations, large-format signage, direct mail, books, and even more. The
company recently turned around a project in just two days for one of
its clients, which involved 3D cardboard engineering. It also completed a
three-floor refit for a local business that included wall graphics on
every floor.
Change for the better
As mentioned above, Pro Co’s investment in technology has had a great
impact on production. Jackson explains: “We invested in an Agfa Jeti
Tauro high-speed high-quality machine and a 3.2m wide Agfa Anapurna
3200i, which are both LED machines. They have both changed the way we
produce jobs from the way we were producing jobs previously on our old
Anapurna hybrids. It has changed our output and how we work massively
for the better.”
Carl Jackson, large-format manager
Parry adds: “We have also brought in a Ryobi 925 LED UV in SRA1 format,
which is massively improving both our speed of turnaround in litho
utilising the instant dry print but also adding much needed capacity and
increased efficiency.”
Graeme Parry, production director at Pro Co
Of course, great customer feedback is one thing but industry
acknowledgement can make all the difference when it comes to attracting
new business. For Pro Co, being shortlisted for Company of the Year at
the Print Week Awards is an “honour”.
Parry comments: “It is a great feeling that the company has been
recognised in this way. It is fantastic to have reinvested in new
equipment that can help in delivering for our clients but for me, it is
having a totally committed workforce that are willing to go above and
beyond again and again that has put Pro Co up there with the best.
We all share the pride in being nominated.”
Jackson says: “It is a big honour to be recognised for everything that
we do. We always try to do something different to everyone else and push
the boundaries in one way or another. We are trying to promote our
brand and what we do.”
Looking to the future, Parry recognises that the company’s main focus is
expanding even further on its growth. He says: “The main focus now is
driving the business forward and utilising the kit, process, and
techniques to the maximum benefit of our client base. We expect to see
an increase with the amount of automation in the business, which covers
automated print and dynamic communications, the rest as they say is top
secret.”
Jackson highlights areas of the market Pro Co is looking to enter in the
near future: “There are definitely a lot of new areas that we are
trying to excel in. We are looking into digital signage for next year
and what we can do with motion LEDs.”
It sounds like the Pro Co team is busy building the business and working
on unique print and signage projects, but what makes it really stand
out is its ability to think outside the box and work outside of the
everyday routine. This, after all, is the only way to differentiate
yourself as a business, therefore, Pro Co looks set to continue its
success in the future.
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