Local schoolboy, Matthew Parry of Aberystwyth, gave up a week of his summer holidays to gain valuable work experience at Cambrian Printers.

As part of our ongoing commitment to the local community, Matt joined us in the first week of August to gain a better understanding of the print and publishing process. Matt was given a project to design, print and wiro-bind his own personalised Calendar. After 3 days of intense design and preparation using InDesign and Photoshop, the Calendar was ready to print.

Matt helped to print the Calendar on our Hp Indigo 5000, where he took control and ensured that the colour appeared exactly as he expected it to.

Matt is interested in a career in photography, so his time at Cambrian Printers was an opportunity to get an insight into what happens to an image to get it ready for print. At the end of his week Matt commented ‘I am amazed at the amount of work it takes to create something that looks as simple as a calendar – I’m stunned by the end result, it looks superb’ Matt is now chasing orders from his family “my mothers birthday is in a couple of weeks and this will make the perfect present”. Matts time at Cambrian Printers certainly opened his eyes to how images should be presented for print.

Doug Gray, Managing Director remarked “we are fully committed to showing local schools and schoolchildren the benefits of a career in print. What better way of introducing them to print than getting them to design and print their own personalised calendar. Having spoken to Matt several times during the week, I know that he really enjoyed his time with us and was made to feel a part of our team. This experience has opened his eyes to the numerous opportunities available in the printing industry.”

The company is pleased to announce the success of Ifor Jones, Purchasing Manager in achieving his NVQ level 4 in Management.

Ifor, who has been with Cambrian for over 10 years is the first staff member to gain this award. Doug Gray, Operations Director, seen above presenting Ifor with his certificate said “Training must be a priority for any organisation wanting to make continuous improvements”.

Management Level 4 is for managers with responsibility for achieving specific results by using resources effectively, and contributing to broader activities such as change programmes and recruitment. Ifor was supported by his assessor Mr Gareth Davies from Professional & Technical Development Ltd. Pictured above is Operations Director Doug Gray presenting Ifor with his certificate.

The KBA 1814 award is intended to recognise outstanding production achievements – Cambrian Printers won the accolade for record breaking performance on its ten-colour long perfecting Rapida 106.

Cambrian’s Rapida was installed in the first half of 2009 and is fitted with a number of makeready- and efficiency-enhancing features, including simultaneous plate changing and Qualitronic quality assurance system.

In one 12-hour shift Cambrian’s Production Manager, Darren Crane, working with a printing assistant, ran 47 different four-back-four sections, involving 376 plate changes and 47 makereadies. Run lengths ranged from 210 to 440 sheets, and the paper stock was 115gsm.

Chairman Robert Read said: “We’re absolutely delighted with the award. When we bought the press it was our biggest outlay to date and a major commitment as far as our company is concerned.

“We’re so pleased to be reaping the benefits. Since this award-winning shift we have achieved further performance increases on the press, too.”
Pictured above are Production Manager Darren Crane (left) and Chairman Robert Read.

Press operator James Evans has become the latest employee to achieve NVQ level 3 certification in recognition of his litho printing and colour printing abilities.

James is part of the team that manages our KBA 10 colour perfecting press producing high quality full colour printing products.

Previously, James had gained his NVQ level 2 and has followed a familiar development route. The company has again worked in partnership with the BPIF to deliver workplace training and assessment. Robert Read Cambrian Printers’ Chairman and M.D said “Such is our commitment to training that we have our own qualified workplace assessor on-site”.

Pictured above: James Evans recieves his certificate from Robert Read – Chairman (right), and congratulated by Darren Crane – Pressroom Manager.

New Services Introduced

http://www.col-tec.net

Further investment continues a pace in our finishing department with a new 14 station collator acquired to complement our existing thread sewing and mailing facilities. The Col-Tec model is suction fed, has a virtually unlimited potential for collation of substrates ranging from single sheets of paper to full sections and benefits from deep pile stations to allow continuous operation.

New Packaging Option

With immediate effect a brand new shrink wrapping packaging option has been launched after discussions with several of our existing clients. Always eager to develop ways of improving our overall service and contribute to our aim for environmentally friendly printing, we believe that shrink wrapping offers many positive solutions. It weighs a lot less than corrugate packaging, thus, reducing the carbon footprint and helping to create eco friendly products, and maximising density in delivery, for any given packaging requirement no other form of packaging uses less resources and energy, high recyclability – smaller weight and mass and allows consumers to view the product through the packaging- no more torn open boxes trying to see what is inside.

Cambrian goes for EMAS

EMAS (Eco-Management & Audit Scheme) is seen as the gold standard of environmental certifications and we have started working towards approval. The process was announced by Chairman Robert Read at a recent customer event, “As the environment is a major concern to us, it makes sense for the company to progress to EMAS approved status to formalise our already stringent environmental management system”. In order for an environmentally friendly printing company to be successful it is critical to make steps to claim green printer status. Cambrian Printers view sustainable printing, including litho printing and colour printing, as a major part of our commercial strategy, ensuring green printing benefits the environment. Full accreditation is expected later in 2010. Cambrian Printers are accredited to ISO14001 and hold FSC/PEFC Chain of Custody.

Wales Air Ambulance

http://www.walesairambulance.com

Following our decision not to send Christmas Cards this year a donation has been made to support this lifesaving service. The Wales Air Ambulance is an all Wales charity providing a vital service through emergency air cover for those who face life-threatening illness or injuries. The charity’s three helicopters are confronted with a diverse and challenging landscape – over 8,000 sq miles of remote countryside, bustling towns and cities, vast mountain ranges and 750 miles of coastline. From mountain tops to back gardens, Wales Air Ambulance can reach any corner of Wales within 20 minutes. For these reasons, there is a recognised need for three helicopters on active duty 365 days a year. Wales Air Ambulance is a registered charity and relies entirely on donations to operate.

Schools Project

Cambrian Printers Ltd has been committed to community involvement for many years and now we are supporting Education Business Partnership which is a branch of Careers Wales. This partnership will allow the company, as a major employer in the local area to collaborate with schools to help raise achievement and develop employment skills among young people. Doug Gray, Operations Director will speak to several local schools about business in general and Cambrian Printers specifically to explain the challenges and opportunities that present themselves to modern SMEs in the manufacturing sector. Topics covered will be;
• Work experience
• Mentoring
• Enterprise activities
• Teacher or lecturer placements
• Joint ventures in design and new product visualisation
The project will also promote the litho printing and colour printing industry as a viable career opportunity to school children and teachers, by raising awareness of the technology that exists within the industry and our company for, for example, colour magazine printing, colour book printing and catalogue printing.

Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year from Cambrian Printers

Having weathered a stormy trading year the company is in a stronger position and look forward to 2010 and whatever challenges it may bring. A major reason for Cambrian’s well being has been the board’s constant determination to invest in the latest technology. That resolve continues with new investments planned for the Chinese Year of the Tiger, which traditionally is a positive astrology phase.

Awards won in 2009

Cambrian cemented its position as one of the UK’s leading environment companies with six awards including the award for Small Business Recycler of the Year Award at the recent prestigious industry wide National Recycling Awards.

Complete list of 2009 awards

• Excellence Awards – Winner – Environmental Company of the Year
• Excellence Awards – Winner – Corporate Responsibility Award
• People in Print Smart Business – Winner – Environmental Award
• British Association of Print and Communication – Winner -Environmental Award
• National Recycling Awards –Winner -Small Business Recycler of the Year Award
• Digital Printer Magazine – Winner – Environmental Company of the Year
• PrintWeek – Commended – Environmental Company of the Year
• BPIF Book Awards – Highly Commended – Environmental Award

Cambrian Printers wins National Recycling Award

Aberystwyth based Cambrian Printers picked up the award for Small Business Recycler of the Year at Tuesday night’s prestigious National Recycling Awards held at the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London.

With over 500 attendees from all industry sectors, the National Recycling Awards were hailed as a great success. Paul Sanderson, Materials Recycling Week editor, commented in his compelling opening speech: “Whether it was small technology companies, local authorities, waste management firms or big retailers, the standard of entries this year was amazing. I’m sure the judges will agree with me that all the winners were truly outstanding.”

The judges were looking for a company which had introduced meaningful waste reduction measures along with innovative recycling ideas that enabled bottom line improvements as part of a strategic business plan – Cambrian Printers ticked all these boxes.

Carrick Wilkie, Sales Development Director received the award on behalf of the company and said “These awards are a just reward for all companies that put the environment at the forefront of their businesses for the benefit of clients, stakeholders and the wider community”

This award joins three other national awards seized by Cambrian Printers this year. The BPIF Excellence Awards delivered a brace of celebrated awards, The Environmental Company of the Year and the award for Corporate Social Responsibility, followed by another notable environmental trophy falling to the company, The Print & Paper Monthly People in Print Smart Business award.

Hat trick of awards for Welsh Company

Cambrian Printers is proud to announce its hat trick of national awards. The company walked away with two major categories at the Excellence Awards in London, winning the Environmental Company of the Year and the Corporate Responsibility award This is what the judges said;

Environment (-100 employees) – “Key to this year’s decision were: identifying effective and sustainable ways of improving the companies’ environmental performance; and reducing the effects on the local community. Cambrian ‘ticked’ all these boxes; its commitment from the top was well supported with the desire to do the right thing for the environment and this attitude was consistent throughout the business and from all its employees.”

Corporate Social Responsibility – This award celebrates those businesses that put something back into society. The judges looked for evidence of how a business had engaged with the wider community beyond its investors, staff and customers A clear winner, Cambrian highlighted some excellent corporate social responsibility initiatives that drew high praise from the judges. As one of the largest private sector employers in Aberystwyth area, the firm is aware of the impact it has on the local community.

Support for the community included work experience for local schools, a social club for staff and their families and support of local sports clubs including Aberystwyth Rugby Club. Directors and managers also serve on professional bodies as unpaid experts in their fields.

These awards came hot on the heels of another environmental award at the People in Print Smart Business awards.

Quality and Performance with an Environmentally-Friendly Heart
Cambrian Printers invest in the future

Cambrian Printers have completed a £6m four-year investment programme with the purchase of its first long perfector press from KBA to become the first mainland UK printer to install the new Rapida 106 in a long perfecting 10 unit configuration.

The new investment will be the first in the UK to feature KBA’s record-breaking DriveTronic Simultaneous Plate Changing system (SPC) and will maintain Cambrian’s position as a leading printer at the forefront of the British printing industry. Cambrian used an extensive range of tests based on images and stock we regularly produce and use to asses the full capabilities of the new Rapida press. The detailed analysis of print quality and performance made the choice of a Rapida inevitable.

As our existing customers are aware, Cambrian Printers operates an integrated system of processes in which environmental management is given equal status to quality control, and Health and Safety practice; it was important that the new press complied with its commitment to the environment: To satisfy this criteria the Rapida will to run alcohol-free from day one with many savings in consumables and energy requirements. Our Rapida 106 will be delivered ‘fully-loaded’ with the latest technology and control systems, which together with intensive operator training will benefit the company and our clients.

The company is confident that the new press is manufactured to the highest standards of engineering excellence that enable us to make further improvements in overall client support.

This capability now available to us represents the pinnacle of technological innovation, developed and specified to our customers needs.

This exciting phase of the company’s expansion is market lead and will provide the service and performance necessary in today’s commercial environment.

PPA Magazine Production Awards 2008
Environmental Performance or Initiative of the Year

Cambrian Printers were judged worthy winners in this category for its proactive approach and comprehensive and well structured environmental policies.

Cambrian Printers offers FSC as its stock substrate, over 25 percent of paper processed in 2007 was either FSC accredited or contained recycled content, with a commitment to acheive 75 percent in 2008. Low alcohol percentage figures have been achieved with the installation of a reverse osmosis unit. Cambrian is continually trying to increase the proportion of resources that are from sustainably managed sources.

With a long list of environmental accreditations including: ISO 14001, ISO 9001, FSC and PEFC, Green Dragon Level 5 (Arena Network Environmental Standards) and working towards EMAS and OHSAS 18001, the judges unanimously agreed that Cambrian Printers thoroughly deserved to win this years’s environmental award.

Judges Comments:
“Cambrian Printers’ environmental policies are comprehensive and well structured. Its approach is very proactive and thoroughly detailed, backed up by excellent environmental targets”