Sustainable converting
Contact Originators: sustainable packaging prepresses
By Nick Mitchell, operations director, Contact Originators S
ustainability is increasingly playing a key role in decision-making across the packaging supply chain. Converters are under pressure to demonstrate measurable environmental progress, and this depends as much on prepress quality and effi ciency as on pressroom performance. At Contact Originators, we have established a model that integrates circular thinking, carbon awareness and social responsibility into every stage of the prepress process, supporting converters seeking partners with credible and consistent sustainability performance.
BUILDING SUSTAINABILITY INTO EVERYDAY OPERATIONS
Sustainability guides how we operate, plan and invest. Our 32,000 sq. ft. Dukinfi eld facility was developed with energy effi ciency and resource management in mind. Motion-activated LED lighting, controlled working zones and optimised heating systems reduce energy use, while our steam-powered solvent still increases recovery rates and cuts waste during plate processing. Digitalisation has brought further gains. A fully paperless workfl ow has removed over 300,000 sheets of paper per year, improving environmental performance while strengthening process control and repeatability for converters seeking accuracy on press.
CEO Steve Mulcahy and the still Sustainability Award-NWBOTY 2024
Through our partnership with B&M Waste Services, Contact Originators now sends zero waste to landfi ll. All site waste is either recycled or used for energy recovery. This reinforces the expectations many converters have of their supply chain partners and demonstrates that responsible waste management can be integrated into day-to-day operations without disruption.
VERIFIED AND ACCOUNTABLE SUSTAINABILITY Independent verifi cation is necessary for converters assessing suppliers, particularly as future UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS) will require more detailed sustainability data and climate disclosures.
HOW PREPRESS ENHANCES SUSTAINABLE CONVERTING
High-quality prepress plays a key role in reducing waste, improving print effi ciency and lowering carbon impact. Accurate, consistent plates minimise makeready waste, improve colour stability and reduce downtime. This is increasingly important as converters focus on achieving environmental improvements without impacting productivity.
Our investment in advanced screening, imaging and digital process control strengthens print consistency and reduces variability. This limits material waste during both platemaking and printing, supporting the sustainability objectives of converters working in competitive and fast-moving markets.
Through technical innovation, proprietary technologies designed for corrugated packaging such as Optimus, which reduces ink usage and improves print quality, and PrintHQ, our digital shim printing technology that reduces waste, support sustainability across the wider industry.
PEOPLE AND LONG-TERM PROGRESS Our approach to sustainability extends beyond prepress services - it is embedded throughout the business. Skills development and training remain central to our approach. Through apprenticeships and industry initiatives, we support the next generation of fl exographic specialists. Many colleagues have built their careers creating a culture that supports continuous improvement and responsible practice.
RECOGNITION FOR OUR COMMITMENT Alongside global certifi cations such as EcoVadis Gold, our sustainability work has earned industry recognition, including Sustainable Business of the Year at the Tameside Business Awards, and the NW Business Desk Business of the Year Sustainability Award. Recognition for team members, including Jo Grundy for operations excellence in the UK’s Women in Packaging Excellence Awards, highlights the commitment driving these achievements.
CONTINUING OUR SUSTAINABLE APPROACH
Printers and converters today need partners who deliver consistent quality while supporting measurable reductions in waste and emissions. By integrating sustainability into every operational decision, we continue to build a prepress model that leads the way in supporting the long-term needs of the packaging and converting sector. This is not just about Contact Originators as an individual business; our focus is to improve sustainability performance throughout the supply chains we operate in, so that our customers and their customers benefi t too.
Contact Originators is a UN Global Compact signatory and aligns with its principles on environmental responsibility and ethical business conduct. We hold EcoVadis Gold status, placing us among the highest-performing print- related organisations globally. Our ISO 14001 certifi cation provides a recognised framework for environmental management systems. ISO 14064 certifi cation and GHG Protocol standards, confi rm our carbon neutral position, supported by measured reduction plans. Our SEDEX membership further supports transparency in supply-chain governance.
www.convertermag.com
Dec 2025/Jan 2026
25
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