ST ALBANS, UK - One of the UK's leading plastic fabrication companies has spoken about the massive impact Zünd technology has had on its business, as it installs its second Zünd G3 digital cutter within nine months.

West Midlands-based Wrights Plastics has seen significant growth in the past three years, with record turnover and staffing levels. With a core business in industrial components and retail display products, it has received two prestigious Manufacturer of the Year awards in regional business awards and currently employs around 100 people at its West Bromwich base.

The company purchased its first Zünd G3 in December 2014 from supplier Canon, after seeing it in action at another manufacturer's HQ and becoming aware of its capabilities. It soon became clear its existing cutting machinery was, in the words of its Commercial Director Andy Watkins, 'archaic'.

"The speed of the Zünd G3 was a revelation to us and has had a major impact on our business," he says, adding that as well as its impressive speeds, the finishing capability of the Zünd G3 XL-3200 means Wrights Plastics has changed the way it produces many items. "Items that were previously stamped out or knifed are now put on the G3 for routing or cutting, creating cleaner finishes and more efficient processes. Output has significantly improved and we are able to compete on price with competition around the world."

This has impacted the business further, as Andy Watkins explains: "We realised that investment in the best available plant and machinery was the key to future growth. With the introduction of the Living Wage, labour costs will rise significantly very soon – and we are already competing against a low cost base in the Pacific Rim. Our competitive advantage will come through the type of efficiencies that we can create using cutting-edge kit such as the Zünd. Our commitment is such that we have spent around €500,000 in an ongoing investment programme."

This month (October 2015) saw Wrights Plastics install a second machine – also supplied by Canon – to manage the increasing work volume achieved through growth into new markets for household names including Marks & Spencer, Coral, Tesco and Selfridges.

"The new Zünd is one of the first in the country with head-changing capabilities – again, purchased with the aim of increasing productivity and finished quality even further," says Peter Giddings, Sales Director, Zünd Plotting Systems (UK) Ltd. "Wrights Plastics has experienced first-hand the significant benefits of investing in the right machinery and we look forward to supporting the company as it grows further."