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Ned Lowe

Mar 11

Exciting New Development in Integrity’s Label Division!

By News

A new development in the Integrity Labels Division has our team poised for rapid expansion:

Throughout the new year, we’ve reported on major investments that Integrity has made in state-of-the-art technology; partnerships with Canon and Digiflex have allowed to us expand the capabilities of our Secure Mailing Division, and now it seems like the Integrity Labels Division are positioning themselves to follow suit.

Over the past few weeks, the team have been preparing a large section of the Labels Division for a high-tech installation. But what are they up to?

Labels Director, Jason Burgon commented “Of the many operational projects we are currently undertaking, the digital upgrade will be the first to see the light of day, providing us with exceptional print and finishing capabilities”.

We’ll keep a close eye on this project and bring you the latest as and when it develops. Watch this space. . .

Mar 09

Integrity’s MD Plants 1000 Trees with the Woodland Trust

By News

Integrity Print’s MD, Mark Cornford plants 1000 trees with Woodland Trust

In February, Integrity’s Managing Director, Mark Cornford completed a landmark project by planting over two hectares of woodland on his land in South Somerset through the Woodland Trust’s MOREwoods project.

Since this scheme began in 2008, the Woodland Trust have helped landowners plant over 2000 hectares of native woodland in the UK.

Mark started this initiative last summer, with the first trees being planted in December. Seven different species of trees and five different species of shrubs have been planted at Cornford Wood; 1000 trees in total were planted over the new year.

When discussing his project, Mark explained:

 “I bought the land to farm sheep – there’s something so cathartic and relaxing about it . . . and the sheep never judge me!”

“I planted 1000 trees to, well, plant 1000 trees! I know there’s huge interest in all things environmental at the moment and of course that is important – trees are the lungs of the planet after all, but to me it was more than that. I didn’t do it for kudos or for brownie points, I did it because there is something incredibly special about nature, and getting back to nature. For me, kids spend too much time on iPads these days and not enough time with muddy knees! And this project is a legacy for my children. I’ve had so much great feedback from dog walkers and passers-by; it’s just fantastic that we’ve created something that everyone can enjoy for, hopefully, many years to come”

Last week, Mark was joined by children from the Butleigh C of E Primary School, who were invited to be a part of the project. The pupils drew sketches and created artwork of the trees and wildlife. Head Teacher, Helen Caines expressed the children’s enthusiasm:

“They absolutely loved it! They couldn’t stop talking about it when they got back. They loved the mud, freedom of space and being outside . . . The children are very keen to come again on a sunny day to have a picnic in the wood”

Mark’s project is one of many being undertaken by landowners, farmers, businesses and local authorities through the Woodland Trust. These projects have helped increase biodiversity, provide shelter, prevent soil erosion, and reduce the risk of flooding in rural areas throughout the UK. You can apply to take part in the MOREwoods project via the Woodland Trust’s website.

Mar 06

Integrity Launch the ‘Challenge Us’ Initiative

By News

Integrity Print have launched the “Challenge Us” initiative to encourage suppliers, customers and staff to help us make an even bigger impact with our environmental sustainability efforts

 

At Integrity, we believe that sustainability is not just a fad or a marketing buzzword; we are committed to making a difference and to making sure that we continually strive to do better.

Too often, organisations are content to do the minimum when it comes to environmental sustainability – get their ISO14001 certification, then sit back and wait until next year’s audit. While this may satisfy some, we simply don’t think it’s enough.

Whether it’s our accreditations and associations; our supply chain; or the day-to-day operation of the Integrity Sites, we have been proactive in developing an approach to environmental sustainability that is more than just ticking boxes. We recognise that genuine sustainability is a process of continual improvement – “good enough” isn’t good enough.

Along with our ongoing environmental projects, we’ve launched the Challenge Us initiative: We’re encouraging our suppliers, our staff and our customers to challenge us to do better – propose new projects, new initiatives, new ways in which we can have an even bigger impact with our sustainability efforts.

Since we launched the initiative at the beginning of February, we have received dozens of great suggestions from staff and customers on new and innovative ways in which we can make even more of a difference. From reducing single-use plastics to installing electric vehicle charging points in our car park, the list of potential projects has been growing by the week!

But we’re not just all talk and no action; our first Challenge Us project is well underway! A leading retail print provider and long-standing customer of ours, PaperUK.com, recently challenged us to produce a more environmentally friendly dispatch note with integrated labels for their client.

The challenge was to provide a fully recyclable product that was comparable in price to their previous, non-recyclable dispatch note. So that’s what we’ve done! Our team of specialists have designed and produced the “Ecosheet” – a 100% recyclable, integrated label sheet, that provides a robust and cost-effective solution to our client’s challenge.

Though the Ecosheet was developed for this challenge, we’re so happy with it that we’re now taking bespoke enquiries for this product. If this sounds like the ideal solution for your project, please contact our team.

If you have any thoughts on how we can make an even bigger impact with our environmental initiatives, we’d love to hear your ideas. No matter how big or how small. We can always do more!

Email us at challengeus@integrity-print.com or leave your suggestions and ideas on our Contact Page.

If we love it and we can do it, we will!

Feb 24

Press Release: Integrity Announce Partnership with Canon

By Press Release

Integrity partners with Canon UK as they enter the high-volume inkjet market

Following an extensive analysis of the marketplace, Integrity Print have chosen to partner with Canon UK by investing in the new Canon Varioprint i300 high speed, cut sheet inkjet press.

The investment forms a key part of Integrity’s strategy to grow their secure mailing division to £10m annual sales. With its full suite of PRISMA workflow and colour management software, along with the latest high quality MX inks, the i300 will play a key part in extending Integrity’s capacity to meet same-day turnarounds on their contractual business and the rapid growth of their Clarity Mail service.

Andrew Law, Integrity Print’s Sales and Marketing Director commented: “This is a great investment for Integrity. The quality of the inks will allow us to take on additional short run commercial print for existing clients. The increased outputs will enable us to meet the growing demand for our same day Clarity Mail service.”

The partnership will also see Canon’s marketing experts hold workshops for Integrity’s Commercial Team focused on targeting new inkjet business.

Commenting on the new partnership, Canon’s Continuous Print Group Account Manager and high seed inkjet specialist, Carl Nolan, said: “Working with the Integrity team to create a business plan for the migration of digital toner and litho work has been an enlightening and mutually rewarding process. Their attention to detail was impressive and allowed us to prove that a partnership with Canon offers the best support and return on investment in the market.”

The i300 was delivered to Integrity Print’s Secure Mailing Division at the beginning of February and is currently being assembled and tested by Canon technicians. The first live print runs are scheduled for the second week of March.

Feb 19

Integrity in top 55 of Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200

By News

Integrity Print ranked at number 55 in the Sunday Times HSBC International Track 200 league table of private companies with the fastest-growing overseas sales, published on 16th February.

2020 marks the second successive year that Integrity has made the list, which recognises and celebrates Britain’s private companies with the fastest-growing international sales over their latest two financial years. It is compiled by Fast Track and published in The Sunday Times each February.

Integrity Print’s Managing Director, Mark Cornford commented, “Since 2008, a key strategy for us has been to diversify and expand into different sectors and regions, both nationally and internationally. Without this robust expansion plan, we simply wouldn’t be where we are today. Whereas print may be in somewhat of a decline in certain UK markets, in other parts of the world, it’s thriving. Our successful expansion into developing markets such as Ghana & Botswana is testament to this.”

Integrity continues to trade extensively with the EU market but is now seeing strong growth in the African and Asian markets, particularly with specialist security print products.

Feb 10

Nipson Digiflex Investment

By News

It’s here! Our Secure Mailings Division’s latest investment, the new Nipson Digiflex Duplex Digital Printer Line is up and running.

As the only readily available ‘flash fusion’ printing system on the market, the Nipson Digiflex sets new standards in terms of quality, flexibility and cost-effective productivity. The new system is replacing a Xerox 495 line and will deliver a 30% increase in capacity.

The investment is a key part of the strategy for delivering the planned growth of the Mailing division. The Nipson can personalise a wide range of substrates, including the work produced on our integrated finishing lines. Integrity will be able to offer a service to clients in the retail and charity sectors who need to personalise loyalty cards, labels and fund-raising packs.

The Nipson also has the facility to run MICR toner, ensuring that we can continue to process high volume cheque mailings for clients.

Gerald White, MD at Nipson Technologies visited Integrity Print last week and remarked on our partnership.

“I’m very excited to be working with Integrity Print. We already have a great relationship with their sister company A1 Security Print, so I’m looking forward to developing this new partnership together”

The installation of the Nipson line is the first step in an extensive investment programme at Integrity. The next two months will see the introduction of high-volume ink jet production, additional enclosing capacity and a major factory extension for the mailing division.

Feb 05

Is Print Sustainable?

By Blog

Is print sustainable? It’s been just over a month since I joined the print industry and after coming to the conclusion that it definitely isn’t dead, I found myself questioning whether or not it’s genuinely sustainable: How clean is it? What’s the environmental impact of this undying industry?

The C words

Whether it’s being lobbied by Greta or denied by Trump, climate change is one of the most prominent issues of the modern age. Environmental awareness is on the rise as more and more of us are demanding more sustainable solutions to the needs of our lives and businesses. So where does that leave print?

In the UK alone, it’s estimated that we use 12.5 million tons of paper each year. On average, it takes roughly 24 trees to make 1 tonne of white office paper.

Surely that isn’t sustainable?

Well, it seems that it isn’t quite as simple as that. Print companies have been sourcing sustainable supplies of paper for decades. 98% of the paper that is bought by Integrity comes with either FSC and PEFC certification. These organisations ensure that their paper is sourced only from sustainable forests, and the Chain of Custody Certification provides a means of identifying every link in the production chain; from source of timber, through to paper manufacture and the printing process. Considering this, the print sustainability promise appears to become more credible.

Myth busting

It seems that there is so much bad press when it comes to the sustainability of the print industry; so many preconceptions about deforestation, conspicuous consumption and unsustainability. What’s myth and what’s fact? Who do you listen to? There are always two sides . . . (shameless segue alert!) . . . Two Sides is an organisation that looks to dispel common environmental misconceptions by providing facts and information to its audience about the sustainability of the print and paper industries; addressing statements such as “paper is bad for the environment”, “paper production is a major greenhouse gas emitter” and “planted forests are bad for the environment”

But what about the ink?

True. The VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions from solvent-based inks can have a detrimental effect on indoor air quality. The IPA (Isopropanol Alcohol) is one such contributor to this effect. IPA is also an expensive compound which requires specialist handling and storage areas. However, it would appear that the print industry has made positive steps when it comes to the ink problem, with water-based and vegetable-based inks being used more widely across the industry. Integrity’s Ink Switch initiative, lunched in 2018, has seen a significant reduction in VOC emissions across their site, as well as annual cost savings of over £30k.

ISO14001

ISO14001 sets the global standard for Environmental Management Systems and was designed to help businesses and organisations to reduce their environmental impact. But does that really make a difference? Is this just another box for HR departments to tick before they pat themselves on the back and then put their feet up for another 12 months until the next audit? No. The ISO14001 certification now calls for organisations to continuously improve, implementing proactive initiatives to protect the environment from harm and degradation, such as sustainable resource use and climate change mitigation.

The Supply Chain

Given the sheer volume of materials; the scale of production; and the complexity of the distribution networks; how do print companies ensure that every aspect of the supply chain is as sustainable as it can be? How do you mitigate the carbon impact of such an operation? The supply chain is undoubtedly one of the key areas of any print company, that requires a significant amount of intelligent and innovative management to ensure sustainability.

Sourcing sustainable materials is only one aspect. How those materials are used, processed, packaged, recycled and distributed are all factors that can have a tremendous impact on the sustainability of the entire supply chain. The value of sourcing paper from sustainable forests is greatly diminished if the waste just ends up in a land fill, or the production process relies on outdated, inefficient technology. It seems to be a finely balanced operation to ensure that every link in the supply is optimised for sustainability.

Whether it’s sourcing, packaging, distribution or recycling, Integrity Print takes a considered and innovative approach to the sustainability efforts within its supply chain. One of the most notable accomplishments is their “zero to landfill” status which has been achieved through their comprehensive and innovative waste stream management. Every piece of waste that leaves the Integrity site is either recycled, reused or recovered. Absolutely nothing ends up in landfill!

So, Mission Accomplished?

Not quite. Sustainability is an ongoing process and the industry itself, despite the significant progress already made, still has a long way to go; and that includes us.

At Integrity, we know that there is always more that can be done. As we continually look to improve our systems and technology, refine our processes and minimise our waste, we also ask you to challenge us!

If you have any thoughts on how we can make an even bigger impact with our environmental initiatives, we’d love to hear your ideas. No matter how big or how small. We can always do more!

Email us at challengeus@integrity-print.com or leave your suggestions and ideas on our Contact Page.

If we love it and we can do it, we will!

Jan 07

Is Print Dead?

By Blog

Is print dead? This was the question that I was asked before I joined Integrity Print. So, put yourself in my shoes – a digital marketeer; a self-confessed ‘tech geek’; a natural advocate for the supremacy of digital media and technology; heading for an interview with one of the most prominent printing companies in the country and asked to give my opinion on whether or not their entire industry had succumbed to the rise of the digital age.

The obvious response to my would-be employers would have been to say “No! Of course not. Why would I choose to dive head-first into a new industry if I believed it was dying? Print is definitely not dead – it just needs better marketing” . . .  So that’s what I said!

Well, they seemed to like my approach and here I am in my first week at Integrity. Although my sentiment was genuine, I thought I should dig deeper and offer some insight into why I was prepared to make my bold statement. I took the time, did the research and asked myself the question “Is print dead?”.

In a word, no. Now, we could address the elephant in the room – this is a blog, it’s digital, and for the next 400 words or so, will proceed to explain why print hasn’t been killed off by digital media. However, for the sake of progression, let’s just sidestep the irony, shall we?

It’s true, we live in a digital age; millennials raised on pixels driving the social media machine ever forward; gigabytes of information being shared at the tap of a mousepad; and mobile phones and tablets basically running our lives. So, where does that leave the humble print industry? Alive and Thriving! Not convinced? Let’s explore . . .

The digital detox

This is something that one in five people surveyed admitted they needed, with 70% of people looking to reduce their overall consumption of digital media. True – digital technologies have transformed nearly every aspect of our lives, and will probably continue to do so, however, it seems digital fatigue is creeping in. And when it comes to brand awareness, 70% of people are more likely to remember a brand that they see in print versus online advertising.

The personal touch

Let’s face it, we’d all rather get an actual birthday card than an e-card; a letter rather than an email; and a gift voucher rather than a discount code.  We tend to have a stronger emotional connection with print; touch, feel and smell all playing their part. Brands are recognising that services like direct mail are connecting with recipients in a way that provokes action. According to the latest DMA Direct Mail Response Rate Report, the average response rate for direct mail is around 9%. Compare that with email which comes in at less than 1% and you can see why direct mail is a popular marketing channel for businesses who are looking to grow their brands.

Credibility and trustworthiness

Books, newspapers and magazines have been a part of our lives for decades, even centuries. As a result, we tend to place a great deal of trust in printed materials and the content we read within them. UK statistics show that printed media such as newspapers were the second most trusted source of advertising after television, with digital sources such as websites and social media falling behind. #fakenews

Digital is easier to abandon

Print, not so much. Once we’ve finished with a website, we’re likely to ignore it – all that digital detail competing for our attention: “Buy this”; “Subscribe here”; “Read our blog (!)”. But print occupies a physical space – reminding us of its presence even when we’ve put it down. As a result, we’re far more likely to pick it up again.

So . . .

Printing has been with us for over 500 years but far from being dead in a world of automated processing and artificial intelligence, print is not only alive but continues to connect with us in a way that can never really be replaced.

 

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