NEWS
New chapter begins for Glasgow printer
THE sale of one of Scotland’s old- est printing firms to a global label giant will make 2013 a year of transition for the long-standing Glasgow business, writes Graham Mann.
Employees at John Watson & Company are now operating un- der a management team that includes representatives from Canadian firm CCL Industries which is in the process of taking over the Scottish stalwart after shaking hands on a multi million pound deal last year.
Over the years the name John Watson has been synonymous
Stars of packaging sought
PACKAGING designers from all over the UK are invited to submit entries to this year’s Starpack Industry Awards scheme.
Now in its 54th year, the annual event recognizes innovation in packaging design and technology.
The deadline for the industry awards is May 3 while the deadline for school and student contenders is February 22.
The competition is organised by IOM Communications Ltd and endorsed by The Packaging Society, and gives award winners the chance to gain potential global recognition through the Worldstar Awards. More details can be found at www.
starpack.uk.com
4 > packagingscotland
John Watson’s Glasgow headquarters.
with some of the country’s lead- ing Scotch Whisky brands but the buy-out will close a chapter that dates back to 1824 when the family-owned company was es- tablished. It’s understood the 80-strong workforce based at the Glasgow facility are not facing job losses as a result of a transaction that will see the company become part of a global operation em- ploying around 6600 people at 74 plants worldwide.
Current chairman John Watson, who has been with company for 46 years and chairman since 1985, has overseen rapid growth in recent years despite operating in an extremely challenging eco- nomic climate. He said: “We are delighted to have concluded heads of agree- ment with CCL and look forward to the future with confidence and enthusiasm. We believe CCL will be a very good home for John Watson & Co and that it will take the business to the next level.” CCL said the transaction is sub- ject to contract, with terms based on John Watson’s financial perfor- mance during 2013. It said spe- cific details will be disclosed fol- lowing completion of the planned transaction in early 2014. Geoffrey Martin, president and CEO of CCL, said it would support the planned acquisition with fur- ther investment in the operation in Glasgow.
Food firm fined for safety breach
An Edinburgh company was fined £1000 after a worker seri- ously injured his hand on an un- guarded dough mixer. Joseph Burnett, 22, was work- ing for Jian’s Dumplings Ltd at the company’s former premises in Gracemount Business Pavil- ions, Captains Road when the incident happened in June 2010. Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that Mr Burnett, a factory assis- tant, was helping to sort ingredi- ents, make Chinese dumplings to order and package products. Mr Burnett was concerned the dough was too wet and began to add extra flour into the mixer by hand. He suddenly felt his hand and arm being pulled into the drum of the machine, with his
arm going in past the elbow of his right arm before he managed to pull himself free.
He suffered two factures in his fingers, ripped tendons and he had to undergo surgery, required 30-40 stitches, his arm was in a plaster cast for eight weeks and he needed physiotherapy to help restore movement in his fingers. He still has limited movement in his index finger. Jian’s Dumplings Ltd, of Loan- head, Midlothian, pleading guilty to breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
HSE inspector Katie Dunlop
said the incident could have been avoided if a suitable risk as- sessment had been carried out.
News in brief
n AN Essex packaging com- pany has been fined after one of its employees sustained a serious hand injury on an un- guarded laminating machine. Gary Dean, of Southend-on-
Sea, had the skin on the palm of his left hand torn away in the incident at Frith’s Flexible Packaging in September 2011. The business was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay £2,046 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching health and safety regulations.
n NEWLY formed company Conversion UK Ltd has agreed a deal with Highcon to mar- ket, sell, support and service its Euclid digital cutting and creasing solution in the UK and Ireland.
Highcon’s sales and business development chief Chris Baker said the UK ”represents an im- portant market” for Highcon and it has companies planning to take the first machines early this year.
n GLOBAL brewer AB InBev has introduced a new light- weight bottle for Beck’s and Beck’s Blue in the UK. The 275ml bottles are 20g lighter than before.
The company estimates the changes will impact over 130 million bottles in 2013, sav- ing a total of 2,642 tonnes of glass, which weighs in at over 200 modern double-decker buses. The new lighter bottle will mean 1,940 tonnes of CO2 are removed from the manu- facturing process this year.
n A PLASTICS company has been prosecuted for safety breaches after a worker crushed a finger on a poorly guarded printing machine. Robert Waters, 62, caught his left hand between two rollers as he was cleaning the ma- chine at Tenza Technologies Limited in Suffolk in October 2011. The company admitted breaching health and safety regulations and was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £3,613 in costs.
January-March 2013
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