Brother purchases Mutoh in £170m deal
Brother Industries has officially acquired machine manufacturer, Mutoh, which is now a consolidated subsidiary of the wider Brother portfolio
Independent print, signage, and digital agency, Reeds, has invested in a range of new production technology, including a HP Latex R2000 hybrid flatbed printer
Penrith- and Carlisle-based print, signage, and digital agency, Reeds, has detailed its near £200,000 investment, which has been made in order to strengthen its in-house wide-format, finishing, and mail fulfilment capabilities.
The company has purchased a HP Latex R2000 hybrid flatbed printer to expand its 2.5m wide-format capabilities. The printer, which includes continuous roll production, enables production across rigid and roll media, has now been installed in a purpose-built room at Reeds’ site in order to bring large-format work entirely in-house.
The purchase was made following a management buyout completed one year ago, meaning the business now trades independently after parting ways with H&H Group in November 2024.
Reeds has also invested in a Trotec laser cutter as well as a DS-85i folder inserter in order to strengthen its automated mail operation.
The laser cutter will allow the company to produce precision cut and engraved acrylics, woods, and coated metals for lettering, fascia signs, and wayfinding. The DS-85i folder meanwhile will give Reeds the ability to produce complex multi-piece packs and higher-volume campaigns.
Anthony Donnelly, director at Reeds, says: “Mail and fulfilment are an increasingly important part of what we do. The DS-85i gives us the reliability and throughput we need to handle both regular runs and targeted campaigns while keeping production in-house.”
The purchase of the Trotec laser cutter was supported via £10k of funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) from the Westmorland & Furness Council and Cumbria Chamber of Commerce.
Speaking about the HP investment, Marco Oliver, a part of the senior management team at Reeds, adds: “It opens up new opportunities in POS and display while maintaining the quality and service our customers expect.
“The water-based latex technology aligns with the company’s ISO 14001 environmental certification and supports indoor and retail-safe graphics production without solvent-based processes.”
The investments have been made to bring creative design, commercial litho, and digital print, as well as signage, mail fulfilment, and web development all in house so customers can maintain continuity across every touchpoint.
Regarding its ethos, Reeds says: “Campaigns can begin with strategy and design, move into commercial print, display, or signage production, be distributed through managed fulfilment and direct mail, and continue online through innovative websites and digital marketing activity.
"The result is consistent execution, simplified project management, and greater control across both physical and digital channels.”
