ADVERTORIAL TECHNOLOGY IN ACTION The Key To Your Success
ounded in 1994 the Wiltshire based printers Fascia Graphics® have been a fantastic British manufacturing success story.
F From humble
beginnings in a start-up unit, the industrial printers now operate from a purpose-built manufacturing facility, conveniently situated along the M4 corridor. For over twenty years the company’s ethos has remained consistent: to be a British manufacturer of the highest quality products, to offer outstanding customer service,
In 2012 the company made the bold decision to invest £350,000 in a fully automatic Sakurai servo- driven cylinder press. The line required bespoke modifications to handle the highly sensitive substrates being processed and once this work was completed,
graphics printer in the UK using the servo-driven technology. Situated in a positive pressure clean room the press was complimented with the latest Natgraph UV,
infra-red, hot-air and refrigerated to be competitive both
domestically and globally, and to continually improve. Expansion, growth and improvement have continued year on year, flourishing even in times of recession. Paul Bennett, founder and Managing Director of Fascia Graphics® commented ‘We have proven that in a tough economic climate it is possible for British manufacturers to excel and strengthen.
drying unit. The complete line covered nineteen metres and quickly revolutionised the production process.
This has been achieved through investment in the latest technologies and staff development. The flexibility to evolve and adapt is vital and needs to be balanced with the pursuit of excellence in all we do’. The core of the business is the design and manufacture of membrane keyboards,
graphic
overlays, labels and other industrial graphic applications. Whilst screen-printing is the primary manufacturing activity, Fascia also implement large format digital printing, lithographic,
reel-to-reel printing,
hot-foil, and the etching and anodising of nameplates and other metal based products. Over the past five years there has been an increased activity in combining various processes, creating hybrid solutions. This is mainly due to the progression with digital technologies, adding even more flexibility to the traditional screen-printing techniques.
In addition to the increased productivity and product quality, the installation of the line also reduced the company’s carbon footprint. During the specification process the drying solution was designed to utilise heat exchange units, drastically reducing the energy consumption. The installation was such a success that twelve months later the company commissioned a second, identical line. This ground-breaking solution is typical of Fascia’s forward thinking approach to manufacturing. Whilst many companies have chosen to consolidate and some even to retreat, Fascia has continued to invest heavily in their process and staff. Another example of this is evidenced through the company’s apprenticeship programmes.
Fascia
currently has apprentices in design, engineering and production, along with key staff gaining valuable experience and qualifications via Wiltshire College in supervisory and management disciplines. Ernie Griffin, co-founder and Financial Director commented ‘We have committed to investing in our facility and production processes. This has been complimented with investment in our operators and managers to ensure we have the skillset
Fascia became the first industrial
2014 also saw Fascia Graphics® commit to their biggest challenge to date. After much deliberation the company signed up to a government backed initiative ‘Growth Accelerator’. The purpose of the initiative is to grow the company by 200% over a three year period. Specialist consultants ‘Quantuvis’ have partnered with Fascia to guide them through this three year growth plan. The scheme not only looks for growth but also improvement in every area of the business: increased sales, stock reduction, lean manufacturing, staff development and waste reduction are just some of the areas for improvement. To accommodate the increase in sales and to prepare for the three year growth plan, Fascia restructured their internal and external sales teams. By bringing two extra employees into the internal sales/customer service team, this has enabled the release of one of their most experienced account managers to develop new business in the south of England. They currently have regionally based business development managers in the north of England, Scotland and Ireland. Each one of these managers also has an extensive knowledge of Fascia’s core market sectors, which include: fire and security,
medical, catering, and instrumentation.
Mark Anderson, external sales manager remarked ‘Over the past five years many of our competitors have reduced their external sales presence and abandoned the important practice of building mutually beneficial business relationships. Through our regionally based business development managers we are able to quickly react to our customers’ needs. We are readily available to offer advice, experience and technical expertise. There really is no substitute for face-to-face meetings to accurately gauge a customers’ requirement’.
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JUNE 2015 | ELECTRONICS
/ ELECTRONICS
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