“For us, it’s about building long-term working partnerships where trust and collaboration come first,” was how Piroto’s Managing Director Andy Clarke described the business ethos at the Northampton-based narrow web converter, which recently installed another new flexo press from Mark Andy.  The new Evolution Series E5 joins two Mark Andy Performance Series P5 presses on the modern and highly efficient production floor at Piroto. 

Established originally in London in 1973, the company formally became Piroto two years later as it moved out of label applicator sales into full-time label production.  Growth came with a relocation to Northampton in 1979 where it began to develop a reputation for its innovative label solutions for the haberdashery market.

A change of ownership in 1986 saw new Managing Director Alastair Inglis switch print production from gravure to flexo – a strategic move that paved the way for increased sales and stability.  The company enjoyed two decades of growth with a leading High Street retailer and the Meat & Livestock Commission both of which enhanced its reputation for customised and traceability tag manufacture.  It also developed business in the fresh food sector with printed metal detectable safety tags.

When Leigh Mann took over the company in 2003, securing a major order for loyalty stamps led to the installation of Piroto’s first numbering system, and the company never looked back.  In the ensuing years, the company acquired international recognition with GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and BRC (now BRCGS) accreditation and attracted a growing interest from the pharma sector.

In 2012, Piroto broke all previous sales records and looked to Mark Andy to boost its production capability.  The result was the installation of a Performance Series P5 press.  “We chose Mark Andy because of the company’s reputation for build quality and reliable after-sales support – a press demo at the company’s UK showroom in Macclesfield clinched the deal,” said Mr Clarke.  The 13” (330mm) eight-colour Mark Andy Performance P5 was also fitted with a Domino inkjet unit on the overhead rail to allow for personalisation.

The company used the added capacity provided by the Mark Andy Performance Series P5 to build on its existing quality credentials, and in 2016, it was awarded AA BRC status.  At the same time, it made a commitment to environmentally-friendly production and gained ‘Zero to Landfill’ accreditation.  By 2017, with business growing rapidly, the need for extra capacity became obvious, and a second Mark Andy Performance P5 was installed.  

Identical in specification to its predecessor, with eight colors and a 330mm web width, the new Performance Series P5 allowed Piroto to grow into the scratch-card market for its local professional football club, Northampton Town, as well as produce award-winning labels for a well-known Scottish brewery.  The addition of a laminating unit on the Mark Andy allowed the company to produce complex peel and reveal labels with variable print data on the inside.  With the ability to print on the adhesive too, Piroto could now print on all three surfaces.

Andy Clarke explained how the company’s green agenda gathered pace:  “We received approval from a leading sustainable materials accreditation body in 2019, which meant we could manufacture labels and tags from certified sustainable sources.”  Since Piroto remains at the forefront of traceability labelling for both large food groups and smaller independents, essential auditing requirements are now easier, and greener, to achieve.

But this success brought with it capacity issues at the Northampton production facility, and in 2025, Piroto installed its latest Mark Andy flexo press.  This is an Evolution Series E5 model that is fully compatible with the company’s existing Performance Series P5 presses. Fitted with both LED/UV and hot-air drying for water-based production of direct food-contact labels, the latest press runs regularly at 170 m/min with excellent waste stripping.  Specification of the Evolutions Series E5 includes turn bars for delam/relam and cold foil capability.  

Speaking for Mark Andy, European Sales Manager Antony Cotton said: “Piroto is a prime example of a narrow web converter combining a high degree of technical know-how to meet the demands of niche markets with a highly varied production capability.”  Illustrating this, he added: “Of their three Mark Andy presses, two have water-based capability, two have Domino inkjet units, and two have sheeting capacity at the delivery.  That really is making the most of your technology, and it’s no wonder they continue to build a successful business.”

Concluding, Leigh Mann affirmed: “We have benefited from the unwavering support we have received from Mark Andy over the years, which has played a significant part in our growth and development here at Piroto.  From technical advice to after-sales support, the partnership we have built with Mark Andy has been invaluable.”