{"id":2181301,"date":"2026-10-22T11:47:28","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T10:47:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebusinessdesk.com\/northwest\/?p=2181301"},"modified":"2026-10-22T11:47:28","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T10:47:28","slug":"acquisition-funds-investment-in-lancs-firm%e2%80%99s-new-equipment-and-production-capacity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thebusinessdesk.com\/northwest\/news\/2181301-acquisition-funds-investment-in-lancs-firm%e2%80%99s-new-equipment-and-production-capacity","title":{"rendered":"Acquisition funds investment in Lancs firm\u2019s new equipment and production capacity"},"content":{"rendered":"

Printed Cup Company has made a major investment in its Lancashire manufacturing operation, installing a new high-speed dry offset printing machine at its Clitheroe factory following the acquisition of the business by entrepreneur Oliver Alcock.<\/span><\/p>\n

The new equipment, which entered production in September 2026, enables Printed Cup Company to print directly onto recyclable plastic cups in up to six colours, significantly increasing the speed and volume of its UK-based production.<\/span><\/p>\n

The investment forms part of a wider programme to develop the company\u2019s manufacturing capabilities following the acquisition, with a focus on increasing production in Clitheroe, improving efficiency and giving customers greater flexibility when ordering bespoke printed packaging.<\/span><\/p>\n

Located at the company\u2019s factory in Clitheroe, Lancashire, the new machine can produce printed cups for milkshakes, smoothies and other cold drinks, alongside ice cream and frozen <\/span>dessert cups.<\/span><\/p>\n

The new production line is capable of printing up to 3,000 cups per hour, compared with approximately 280 cups per hour using the previous production machines.<\/span><\/p>\n

This six figure investment also means Printed Cup Company can now manufacture significantly larger volumes in-house, reduce production and offer improved lead times.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although the machine has only been operational since September, the impact is already being seen on the factory floor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Francine Kenyon, commercial director at Printed Cup Company, said: \u201cThe difference it has made to the way we work is huge. Previously, producing these cups involved a much more manual process, whereas we can now put work through at a completely different speed and scale.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor the production team, it means we can get more through the factory while still concentrating on print quality.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She added: \u201dIt also gives the sales team much more flexibility when customers come to us with larger or more urgent requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s probably the biggest change I\u2019ve seen in our production operation during my time with the company.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The investment follows the acquisition of Printed Cup Company by Oliver Alcock in July 2025 and forms part of his plans to invest in the company\u2019s manufacturing operation and build on its established position within the UK printed food and drink packaging market.<\/span><\/p>\n

CEO Alcock said: \u201cWhen I acquired Printed Cup Company, one of the things that attracted me to the business was the fact that we actually make things here in Lancashire.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI want us to keep investing in that. This machine isn\u2019t just about buying another piece of equipment, it allows us to make more product here in Clitheroe, produce it faster and take on work that would have been much more difficult for us previously.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He added: \u201cWe\u2019ve made a lot of changes since the acquisition, but seeing new equipment running on the factory floor and products coming off the line is probably one of the most satisfying parts of what we\u2019re doing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a lot more I want to do with the business, and this is another step towards where I believe Printed Cup Company can go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Printed Cup Company boosts production from 280 cups an hour to 3,000<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":217725,"featured_media":2181302,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"coauthors":[46761],"class_list":["post-2181301","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-manufacturing","tag-featured-story","tag-lancashire"],"yoast_head":"\nAcquisition funds investment in Lancs firm\u2019s new equipment and production capacity<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Printed Cup Company boosts production from 280 cups an hour to 3,000\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thebusinessdesk.com\/northwest\/news\/2181301-acquisition-funds-investment-in-lancs-firm\u2019s-new-equipment-and-production-capacity\" 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