Dura-ID Solutions is a UK-based specialist manufacturer of durable labels, tags, wristbands and badges, many of which are used in harsh environments.  The company is a long-time Mark Andy user, describing its presses as ‘best for purpose’.

Established initially in 1936 as IML Labels & Systems, more recent history sees the company acquired by the Goonvean Group and merged with Longcombe Labels to form Dura-ID Solutions in 2017.  Managing Director Shaun Higgins, who began life with the company in 1991 as a machine operator, explained: “We provide a specialist service to the market, offering product identification solutions and custom labels that are compatible with various print techniques, including thermal, and providing optimal performance.”

The company’s products are supplied to a variety of industry sectors, including chemical, construction, food retail and manufacturing, metals and engineering and injection moulding.  In addition, medical, healthcare, horticulture and tourism events feature amongst the diverse markets using tags, labels and badges, often under harsh or testing conditions.

Over the years the business has grown and now employs 115 people across seven different sites throughout the UK generating around £20m of annual sales that in addition to printed identification solutions also includes label applicators, variable data printers, design software, and consumables, and a full-service team to support customers’ after sales requirements.

The first Mark Andy press was a 910 central impression model, something of a museum piece now, but a 30-year-old 2200 flexo line is still in daily operation as living proof of Mr Higgins’ mantra of ‘best for purpose’.  “We choose Mark Andy because they are trustworthy performers across a variety of substrates, some of which are extremely demanding.”

Dura-ID’s two printing sites are at Barnsley in South Yorkshire, which is the HQ, and Paignton in Devon.  Other production sites are in Durham, Mansfield, Cambridge, Hickstead, and Cullompton, giving a total manufacturing area of 100,000 sq ft (around 9,000 sqm).  The Paignton plant is equipped with Mark Andy 2200 presses and one of two Evolution E5 presses installed in 2023.  The Barnsley plant has the other E5 and was also the recipient of the first Mark Andy Performance Series P5 to be installed in the Uk in 2011.

Robust and reliable are terms often used by Mr Higgins to describe his Mark Andy presses: “A large percentage of our work is tags that require metal to metal die cutting with focussed air dies and extraction.  Some of the materials used have been specially developed by us to cope with, for example, temperatures of 1000°C (1800°F) or way below freezing, and these can be a real challenge to print and convert – but the Mark Andys are perfect for these applications,” he commented.

With a customer base numbering more than 5,000, run lengths can be very short, so fast make-ready and short change-over times are essential to profitable production and here the two new Mark Andy E5 presses draw particular praise. “The E5s have reduced set-up times and waste to allow us to deliver great value to our existing customers and be competitive enough to attract new ones.  Whatever job we put on them, the E5s deliver reliable print register every time on every substrate – I can’t say more than that!”

In addition to identity labels and tags for harsh environments, Dura-ID Solutions is alive to the growing demand for increased product identity/traceability and the need for eco-friendly considerations, all of which require precision and expertise.  With a growing export business to more than 30 countries, much of it steel industry products using synthetic materials, the company has a policy of ongoing investment and, according to Mr Higgins, will be looking to upgrade its older flexo lines in the next 3 – 5 years.  

Speaking for Mark Andy, UK & Ireland Sales Manager Antony Cotton said: “With the proven track-record of our Mark Andy Evolution flexo presses, I am looking forward to working closely with Dura-ID to develop and extend our ongoing partnership.  It’s very rewarding to know that day-in day-out Mark Andy technology offers reliable performance on even the most testing of materials.”