Nottingham packaging company invests £600,000 in new division

A Nottingham-based packaging company is launching a new arm to its business following a £600,000 investment in a specialist digital foiling and varnishing machine – the first of its kind to be introduced to the UK for the carton market.

The Wilkins Group has invested the cash in the new equipment and showroom renovation, set to house FUSE.

FUSE has been created to cater specifically for premium packaging markets such as the cosmetics, perfumery, liquor, confectionary and gifting industries.

Justin Wilkins, sales and marketing director at The Wilkins Group, said: “Following a demand in the market for luxury packaging, we decided to extend our expertise into the premium packaging market by developing FUSE, as a sub-brand of the Wilkins Group.

“The investment means that we can now provide advanced foil blocking and varnishing methods in short runs with the only machine of its kind in the UK for carton production. This will allow our clients to amplify their brand and take it to the next level.

“This is a huge asset to both the Wilkins Group and our customers. We are very excited to introduce the new services that FUSE offers at the Packaging Innovations trade show in March.

A wing of the company’s Nottingham headquarters also underwent a £100,000 redevelopment to house the new machine, which saw structural changes and an incorporation of the FUSE branding throughout.

Covering 5,000 sq ft, the FUSE branch consists of three main sectors: The Development Room, where clients meet with the in house graphics team to watch their ideas come to life, the Buzz Zone, which focuses on inspiration and innovation, and the Production Room, where visitors can watch the machine transform digital graphics into a printed product while they wait.

Wilkins added: “The name FUSE was picked by our staff members in an internal competition. The name represents the fusing of traditional print with new, innovative technology. We are eagerly anticipating its official launch at the Packaging Innovations show next month, and look forward to meeting with many more high end brands in future.”

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