FESPA confirms Munich for 2027 Global Print Expo
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Route 1 Print has showcased the latest updates to its Rotheram facility, including approximately £24m of new equipment, with more than half of that invested in the last 12 months alone
Rotheram-based commercial printer, Route 1 Print, has hosted the latest open day at its production facility, giving its expanding network the chance to see its latest print solutions up close and personal.
Route 1 has been running monthly open days at its Rotheram facility for the past two years, in which time they have welcomed around 700 attendees through its doors.
Speaking about the core aims of the open day events, Jack Parks, Head of Route 1 Print, says: “The aim is to stay closely connected to the ever-evolving landscape of print buying and understand the challenges our customers are facing daily.
“While we’re constantly planning and investing in developments for the next 12 to 24 months, these open days give us a valuable opportunity to ensure those plans genuinely align with the needs of our customers. It may sound cliché, but we win if our customers do. Having customers actively involved in our development process is absolutely crucial to making sure we continue to deliver what they really need.”
The event served as a showcase of Route 1’s latest arsenal of print solutions, which cover a diverse range of applications and outputs.
The company has made significant investments into the business over the last few years, spending approximately £24m on new equipment, with more than half of that invested in the last 12 months alone.
This includes an initial £1m investment into its Stickers & Labels range, including the purchase of a HP Indigo 6K digital press as well as an ABG Digicon Lite digital finishing system.
Investments in recent years have also included the purchase of a new Landa S11P B1-format double-sided perfecting digital production press for Route 1’s small-format department.
Speaking about the kit purchases, Parks continues: “Our approach is simple: we invest so our customers don’t have to. In many ways, our factory is their factory.
“Every investment decision has been centred around three key factors – improving product quality, increasing production speed and reducing costs to help our customers achieve stronger margins.”
Discussing the Landa purchase, Parks says: “It delivers an exceptional combination of speed and quality, effectively bridging the gap between litho and digital print. The crossover point between digital and litho production is now significantly higher, allowing us to achieve lower unit costs through reduced make-ready waste, the removal of plate costs and instant job changeovers.”
The response from customers to the open days has reportedly surpassed all of Route 1’s expectations. Many customers were quoted as saying that didn’t realise the scale of the company’s factory or the breadth of products it manufactures.
Parks comments: “The open days are incredibly important because they allow us to test ideas, gather feedback, and ensure future developments are built around how our customers actually work.
“We have a very diverse customer base, with different businesses specialising in different areas of print. The open days not only provide inspiration for customers looking to diversify into new products or markets, but they also create a fantastic networking opportunity. Customers can learn from one another, share ideas and discover new opportunities together.”
One of Route 1’s core focuses in the last 18 months has been the revamping of its wide-format department, which included the integration of a fleet of new EFI presses. Parks describes the installation process as feeling “like Noah’s Ark”, as the company bought two of each machine to build resilience into the operation.
Describing the new impact of the systems, Parks adds: “These new presses deliver exceptional print quality, far greater production speeds, and the flexibility to switch between reel and sheet-fed work whenever required.
“Wide-format print can offer excellent margins for resellers, but traditionally a significant portion of the cost comes from finishing, which is often highly labour-intensive. By combining technologies such as the EFI FabriVU for products like Heras fence covers with our PLASTGrommet TexWiz system which features inline welding, eyeleting, sewing, and slitting, we’ve dramatically streamlined production.”
Route 1 Print will attend The Print Show later this year at NEC Birmingham, presenting from Stand P335 of the show.
