A £1 MILLION investment at a Bradford labelling manufacturing firm is already reaping rewards with sales growing by 30 per cent in 18 months.

Watermill Press, based off Manchester Road, is the leading manufacturer of product identification labels in the UK, with clients including Marks & Spencer, Britvic, Princes Food and the Robert McBride Group.

It is one of the first companies in the country to use the 530mm wide Omega label printing and converting machines, which provides the firm with the largest dedicated production capacity for product identification labels.

Two large new contracts with major retailers, won as a direct result of recent investment in machinery, saw turnover rise from £5.5 million in 2013 to £7.5 million in 2014. In addition six new staff were employed to manage and run the technology.

Managing director at Watermill Press, Dale Deacon, said: “Our investment is client-driven after feedback showed they needed faster lead times, greater volume and lower production costs. The new machinery is the best available anywhere in the world and it’s made a significant difference to us in a short space of time. Client feedback has been tremendous.

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"Our commercial partners need stable and established suppliers who are tuned into their market and who have the expertise to deliver financial and operational improvements through the deployment of new cutting-edge production techniques.

“It is a great Yorkshire success story. The label converting machines are designed and made in Bridlington, and much of our raw materials come from a paper plant in Scarborough.

“We employ 26 people locally, are proud to be a ‘Living Wage’ employer and partner with other regional companies wherever possible. Even though our client network is national, we believe it’s important to support Yorkshire businesses – we’ve been in partnership with our machinery supplier, AB Graphic International, for nearly 20 years.”

Mike Burton, managing director of AB Graphics said: “We are proud of our long association with such an innovative labelling company as Watermill Press. Our two companies have worked closely together over many years, developing new and improved capabilities and functionality on our machines, which have benefitted not only Watermill but also our other customers for our Omega range.”

The firm was presented with its living wage employer accreditation by leader of the Green Party, Natalie Bennett, in October, where she praised the firm’s “visionary business leadership”.