Banksy beer with labels produced by Malmesbury Labels
Having recently invested in digital label printing capabilities, Malmesbury Labels was in the perfect position to help Cotswold Lion Brewery celebrate the street art of Banksy, after the graffiti artist left one of his trademark pieces in nearby Cheltenham.
Based in Cirencester in the Cotswolds, Malmesbury Labels manufactures and prints self-adhesive labels for wide range of applications from the food and drink sector to general packaging and labeling. The company has recently invested in an iTech Centra HS digital label system from Allen Datagraph Systems to produce cost-effective four colour labels in smaller quantities for its customers.
‘We have a four colour flexo press, and our larger clients order longer runs of 40-50,000 labels, whilst the typical client orders 6-8000 spot colour labels,’ said managing director, Howard Burr. ‘But much of our work has been for smaller retail businesses. These boutique businesses will use carry bags with cord handles to promote their company and products. We create the labels for them. The challenge is that many four colour label jobs come with new artwork, and are likely to be run only once. To create the labels and pay £150 for four plates and for dies to manufacture runs of 1000 is too expensive. This why we decided to invest in a digital printing and finishing system.’
A printer’s press
The solution to the problem presented itself about 18 months ago when Mr Burr visited Labelexpo Europe to look at digital label systems. ‘The Centra HS seemed to be more industrial-based than other affordable systems. And a demo at Allen Datagraph’s US headquarters in Derry, New Hampshire, confirmed that it was more a printer’s press than a brand owner’s machine.’
The system combines the iTech Centra HS digital label printer with the iTech Centra HS digital label finisher. The LED toner printer produces colour labels at 1200 x 600 dpi, running at speeds up to 9.1 m/min. The finisher is a high-speed roll to roll system that lets users laminate, die-less cut, strip the waste matrix and slit custom labels in one production pass.
‘We are dealing with smaller brand owners who want to see labels that meet their expectations. Some are industrial, some sell foods and beverages. A good example is the small preserves and chutney companies we work with. If, the next time they produce their jam, the ingredients change slightly, they have to alter the ingredient text on the label. They don’t want to be tied with 3000 labels. That’s the beauty of the Centra HS system.’
Banksy beer
Nearby in Cheltenham, home the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), a new piece of graffiti appeared over night in April last year. The artwork showed three shady looking men with listening equipment surrounding a phone box and was unmistakably the work of famous street artist Banksy.
The artwork appeared across the road from specialist beer and cider shop, Favourite Beers, and the owners decided to team up with the Cotswold Lion Brewery to produce 500 bottles of two customised beers to commemorate the occasion. One was called ‘GCPaleQ’ while the other was a Christmas edition, the GCNoelQ both poking fun at the GCHQ.
Mr Burr commented, ‘We helped create two, four colour labels for the Banksy beer, which were delivered to the store – all within days from his visit. Without the Centra HS, we couldn’t have done it. The bottles arrived in the shop in time, allowing them to get in on all the media hype.’
