Devon printed packaging specialist says it has enough stock to meet Christmas demand head-on

A DEVON printed-packaging company is preparing to meet high demand in the run up to Christmas and has secured stocks of raw materials despite shortages due to logistics and COVID-19 (November 2021).

Award-winning Newton Print in Newton Abbot specialises in assisting artisan, start-up and SME food and drink producers to bring their products to market on time, and, on shelves for Christmas.

Simon Besley, Sales and Marketing Director at Newton Print, explains: “It’s been a struggle for many businesses in our industry to get raw materials due to issues related to getting suppliers into the country, a shortage of HGV drivers, and the impact of COVID-19 worldwide on work forces. Christmas is quickly approaching and as businesses across the South West, and further afield, are preparing their seasonal products for the festivities, many are facing difficulties with lead times and materials, and this is obviously very stressful.

“Many of them would have been planning for this well ahead of time. However, the packaging industry overall has really struggled to meet demand this year due to shortages of materials, logistics issues and the knock-on impact of staff shortages due to Covid, and we’ve discovered many brands are struggling to find solutions that will reach them on time. This isn’t something any business wants to hear, especially if you’re an SME who has put everything into their products and has already endured a very challenging past 20 months. However, we’ve been able to secure good stocks of raw materials and can meet demand head-on.

“At Newton Print, we’re experts in printed packaging for food and drink brands, so we’re fully aware of those pressures. Combined with the extra shortages, we’ve been with them every step of the way. As a result, we’ve been sourcing stock ready to assist and I can confidently say we have lead times that are well below the norm.

“This of course, depends on the project and individual requirements, but on average our lead times are just a short three-to-four weeks long, compared with the more common eight-to-twelve-weeks others are quoting.

“What’s more, if businesses come to us, we can provide them with solutions. Not only are we packaging experts, but we also have our own inhouse creative team to provide further ideas on how we can get projects from the factory floor to the shop floor as efficiently as possible, while still being on-brand and high-quality.

“We’re also one of just a handful Certified Carbon Balanced printers in the UK. We’re aware that many businesses are seeking new ways to offer their products to consumers, who are now more environmentally aware and origin-savvy. Through us, we can help offset your carbon footprint, so rapid printing projects aren’t as harmful as you’d think.”

The certification, which is part of a scheme operated by World Land Trust (WLT), was attained by offsetting Newton Print’s entire annual operational carbon footprint through the purchase of endangered tropical habitat.

By doing this, Newton Print will each year balance the equivalent of 24 tonnes of carbon, resulting in the preservation of four acres of endangered forest.

Simon adds: “We’re also a fully independent, family-run business, so we genuinely care about the success of your own at this time of year.

“Our team have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure we can offer our clients the best service, so if you’re seeking truly sustainable printed packaging this Christmas, we’d love to hear from you.”

Founded in 1983, Newton Print Ltd is an approachable, friendly, forward-thinking and carbon-balanced printed packaging firm that provides a collaborative approach to client partnerships based on traditional customer relationships, married with pioneering, innovative ideas, to create successful and sustainable results.

Benefitting from its own on-site production and inhouse creative expertise, Newton Print is a packaging mentor for SMEs. It aims to help demystify printed packaging to allow artisan brands to develop, succeed and grow.

It provides print runs of anything from 1,000-250,000 with a focus on beautiful, luxury, sustainable printed food packaging, including food sleeves. It is also able to offer short-term special edition print-runs – perfect for product testing, tailoring products to specific retailers or for bespoke promotions.

The hard-working, skilled team ensures its clients receive top-quality workmanship and ultra-fast delivery.

Ninety-seven per cent of its customers rate Newton Print with five stars on the independent review site Feefo for speed and exceeding expectations, while 98% have rated the team’s friendliness as five-star too. Feefo has also awarded the company with a prestigious Platinum Trusted Service accreditation.

To find out more about Newton Print Ltd, please visit https://www.newtonprint.co.uk or call 01626 368986.