Print specialist flags up growth plans with £1m investment

Leeds-based fabric print specialist Northern Flags has relocated in Leeds, creating six jobs, following the reshoring of print production from Eastern Europe in 2016.

The company has also invested more than £1m in new digital printers, which it says creates the most modern facility of its kind in the UK.

The investment sees the company expand beyond specialist fabric production of flags, point of sale and sport and event branding into a range of new products such as vinyl, display boards, stickers, free standing displays and signage.

The move to Millshaw Industrial Estate sees the company relocate from its old Matrix Court facility to a brand-new print manufacturing facility four times the size of their previous premises.

The new facility has been fully refurbished for the company by Leeds-based specialist contractor Nexus.

Iain Clasper-Cotte, managing director, said: “Since deciding to launch our UK production facility two years ago, our business has moved from strength to strength and we are now supplying our customers with a huge range of products and services we couldn’t previously offer. It was clear that the machines we invested in just two years ago could not support our expanding business. We are one of the first printers in Europe to invest in Agfa Graphics new Avinci Fabric printer along with a 3.2M wide Anapurna UV printer for Boards, Vinyl’s, Wallpapers, Dibond and Signage. We have also imported a specialist Zund cutting machine from Switzerland that will allow us to create free standing displays, signage and accurate cutting of fabric and boards.”

The new state-of-the-art print hub also offers extensive warehouse facilities enabling a dedicated pick and pack distribution service for major clients’ promotional campaigns.

Northern Flags has been supported in its growth plans by Leeds City Council’s Enterprise Department.