A label printed by Corby-based PeterLynn has been given the prestigious award of ‘Beer Label of Year’. Produced for Phipps Brewery, it adorns the bottles of Phipps IPA, a beer last brewed 40 years ago. By Neel Madsen.
When Phipps Brewery decided to resurrect its Phipps IPA, it turned to PeterLynn for the production of the labels. The Northampton brewery can trace its roots back to 1801 when Pickering Phipps first started to brew beer in Towcester, and the design of the IPA label originates in Edwardian times. The winning label was printed on PeterLynn’s Xeikon 3300 digital label press and finished on its Digicon converting line from AB Graphic.
Step into digital
Established in 1985 by Peter Lindsay and today run by his son James Lindsay, PeterLynn manufactures custom roll labels, plain paper labels, laser labels, tickets and tags. It provides a range of products for specific applications, including synthetic label materials, creating quality label, ticket and tag products. With ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 accreditation, the company’s products can be found in many high streets stores such as Boots and Next.
A well established flexo printer, the company first ventured into digital label printing in 2012 with the installation of a Xeikon 3030 press. At that time, it expanded its facilities on the Willowbrook North Industry Trading Estate in Corby to house the new digital equipment that also included a Digicon finishing line, capable of providing hot foil, varnish, lamination and cold foiling. Due to the success of the new press, it was upgraded to a top end 3300 model this year to increase capacity.
James Lindsay said, ‘Our move into the digital market in 2012 has seen our business go from strength to strength. We have moved into new markets as well as improved our offering for existing customers, who have embraced the new technology and the high quality, full colour labels that we can now deliver on shorter lead times. Next year will be a year of further growth for us with a change to operating strategy and a two shift system to increase our printing capacity further.’
Pale ale
The substrate chosen for the award winning label was a matt PP which was coated with a matt varnish. Phipps operates a returns policy for its high value flip top bottles and needed a label that could be fully removed after use, but still be resistant to water when the damp bottles are first labelled in a cold environment.
Alaric Neville, who is responsible for the resurgence of the brewery and for bringing back to life the brand, explained that the label is an original P. Phipps and Co bottle label with a design that probably dates from the Edwardian era when paper beer bottle labels began to be used along with embossed lettering on the thick glass bottle. He continued, ‘We brought the IPA itself back in 2008 after 40 years off the market, but as it was contract-brewed for us in Oakham, we couldn’t use labels from this era as the Northampton name was a prominent part of the design. Now that we are back in the Albion Brewery in Northampton, we are able to revive these old designs and we will use others in future.’
The simple yet effective design of the label follows the current trend in the beer market. Mr Neville mused, ‘It is interesting to note that after complex and slick styles holding sway for a decade or more in graphic art and packaging design, the trend now is for plain flat rough edges and block colours. For us having the whole history of Phipps NBC designs at our disposal means we can stay contemporary by looking to genuine historic designs.’
PeterLynn is working with the brewery on a number of new projects, including labels for a range of commemorative beers, which will all be printed on the Xeikon press. Mr Lindsay said, ‘We are proud to work with an historic brand like Phipps Brewery. They are doing some very exciting things and we can’t wait to see what designs we will print for them in 2015.’
The Xeikon 3300
Brewing digital
Digital printing in general has been wholeheartedly adopted by the growing micro brewery industry and those at the smaller end of the food industry, because of the flexibility to print short runs and multiple sorts, commented Vicky Waine, sales and marketing manager for PeterLynn.
She said, ‘The outstanding print quality of the Xeikon press is particularly valued because many of the small producers we work with have a real commercial awareness that the label is a key part of their product marketing, and as such they place great value on a good relationship with their label printer. We now have many long standing supply relationships with foods and drinks producers both locally and nationally who value our expertise and the time we take to ensure we fully understand their requirements.
‘There has been a huge growth in the popularity of real ales over the past few years which has led to many small breweries forming. Often larger and more successful breweries will support and assist other smaller or newer businesses. It is great that there can be collaboration between potential rivals, as they are all brought together by their love of good quality real ale.
‘As fantastic as a particular beer can be, it really is often the actual self-adhesive label that catches the consumer’s eye and draws them to the product. Many brewers, like Phipps, have already understood this and look for new ways of making their bottle stand out on the shelf. With clever designs and special materials it is possible to build a clear brand and image. Those breweries that focus on high quality labels and have a well thought out marketing plan will be the ones who reap the rewards of the resurgence in craft brewing,’ she concluded.
