Page 27 - PWM2026_FEBRUARY EBOOK

BETTER BUSINESS

LabelExpo last month saw the Probably not, Jolly thinks. “The
launch of the Elite 550 iSR, in labels and commercial printing
response to customer feedback. “We industry is like oil and water. They
see press widths getting wider, have some of the same properties but
through listening to our customer’s don’t mix well. This is what my time
needs, as well as speaking to press at HP taught me.
“Duplo has a great future ahead
manufacturers and material suppli- and we want our Duplo distributors
ers,” says Jolly. “We are always trying focusing on maximising the Duplo
to stay ahead of the game and predict opportunity in their territories in the
the future requirements of the indus- office and commercial printing mar-
try. We are currently in the design kets. We will choose distribution
phases of a 680 iSR, which will partners from the labels industry to
become a part of our Elite range.” sell Bar Graphic Machinery in each
country.
What’s the history? “We are treating the businesses
Bar Graphic Machinery began in very separately but using the experi-
the garage of Bill and Annemarie ence, support and structure from
Rhodes’ home in 1992. Their joint Duplo to accelerate BGM growth.”
initials BAR gave the company its In 2022 BGM partnered with the
name and they’ve always operated German company Porter Pac to set
within the Bradford area. up a demo centre in Eichen, to the
After about five years, they moved southeast of Bonn. This arrangement
into an industrial unit in 1998. They is continuing, says Jolly: “We look
forward to working with Porter Pac
purchased their first factory building in the future. We have a new sales
in 2000, then moved to their current manager, Patryk Dudzi´nski, for-
address in a modern factory unit in merly of Grafotronic, who is looking
north Bradford in 2014, naming it forward to meeting our distributors
Rhodes House. BGM doubled the in the coming months.”
size of its factory in 2021 by purchas-
ing the building next door. How about BGM manufacturing
The main building now houses the Duplo kit?
design office, sales office and a large “We are only in month two of the
open plan general office that accom- acquisition. The ‘Duplo way’ is
tomer specifications is our passion. Our technically creative equipment has always to respect what is currently
been designed to meet our customers’ requirements today and anticipate modates eight staff, showroom, there now, learn the business and
their needs for tomorrow. boardroom, electrical area, fitting then make the right strategic deci-
“Bar Graphic’s highly skilled engineers are constantly developing modifi- shop and warehouse areas. The addi- sions in the future. BGM is a profita-
cations and expanding our range of equipment to ensure our customers can tional building has the machine ble and successful business; it
find the right solution.” shop, production office, blacking deserves the respect for us to fully
room (protective coating) and stor-
About half of its sales are standard “off-the-shelf” machines, and the rest understand this great business before
are bespoke and tweaked according to customer requirements. “We are age for machined parts. we make strategic decisions.
About 90% of all mechanical com-
small enough to design orders of one, but big enough to produce high vol- “Could I see a future where Duplo
ponents are made in-house. Only
umes of machines. This is what makes us unique in the market,” the com- some specialist components such as R&D and manufacturing play a part
pany says. motors and microchips are bought in Bar Graphic Machinery, I would
The current catalogue shows a large range, but many have common mod- in. The design department uses CAD, say yes, but the ‘how’ has yet to be
ules and components. Jolly says “We manufacture in our purpose-built facil- with manufacturing by CAM. Servos defined. It’s BGM’s design and engi-
neering ethos in Bradford that pro-
ity, giving us total flexibility. That way if the design team has an idea, we can and electronics controller boards are vides one of the company’s strongest
produce the part and try it out very quickly.” assembled and programmed in- USPs – the ability to listen, think,
Most of the BGM machines carry the Elite brand name. The best sellers create, design and deliver for custom-
house.
are the iSR (Inspection Slitter Rewinder), eDSR (Elite Diecut Slitter Turnover has historically fluctu- ers – we must not forget that.”
Rewinder) and Multiflex (Multi-Substrate Inspection Slitter Rewinder) ated between £1.5m to £2.5m, and
machines. “We have covered most angles within the plain label industry,” the most recent financial year So Duplo isn’t moving into reel-fed
says Jolly. “For slitting and rewinding we have our Elite iSR which we have 2023/24 saw a turnover of £1.53m. for its general commercial finish-
now produced for a wider web width due to popular demand. For die-cut- ing lines?
ting and rewinding there is the Elite eDSR. For multiple substrates needs, Will BGM sell through Duplo “Similar to the above, too early to
we have our Elite Multiflex, which we now also have in a variety of sizes.” agents? tell,” Jolly says.

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