50 YEARS OF BAKER LABELS Currently celebrating its 50th year, Baker Labels’ history starts back in 1973 when founded by Roy and Marian Baker. Starting out solely in label production, the company’s growth was always steady and it soon opened a Materials division in 1978 due to the lack of supply for custom cut reels from manufacturers. This was also the year current managing director Steve Baker, son of Marian and Roy, joined the company full-time. Starting out in Kings Cross London, operations moved to Walthamstow where they stayed for over 20 years. However, growth was restricted due to the size and age of the building and fast forward to today and Baker Labels is now in its fourth factory having relocated to Brentwood, Essex in 2011. “It’s no coincidence that the biggest growth in the business has been since we moved to a purpose-built, state-of-the-art facility in Brentwood in 2011,” explains Steve Baker. “Since then, our staff has more than doubled from 46 to 112 and our turnover has trebled from just over £5m to over £16m.” High Standards The current site consists of three units: a labels factory, a flexible packaging factory, and a label material conversion warehouse which in total covers around 4,500sq m. Baker prints digitally on HP Indigo and Screen Inkjet, and conventionally on a Nilpeter flexographic press. Within its Materials division, Baker Labels is now an independent distributor for leading self-adhesives material suppliers such as Avery Dennison, Kernow Coatings, Lintec, and 3M. The division itself holds over 450 self-adhesive materials in stock, which not only supplies other label printers but ensures the company has stock ready to maintain its own fast turnarounds. A trusted trade supplier, Baker’s customers are label printers, commercial printers, or print management companies all of which have high standards and fast turnaround requirements. “We strive to go beyond expectations,” says Baker. “We know labels, we’re very good at making them, and we don’t mess about. “Many label printers come to us when they don’t have the equipment or capabilities for added-value labels such as high-end embellishments. We solve customers’ problems for them quickly and to a very high standard.” Operating with an open approach, Baker is transparent about the way it works and will even offer training and support to customers on any new capabilities or technologies it may have. At the Forefront Since its inception, Baker’s philosophy has always been to be as versatile as possible and to re-invest in the latest quality equipment to stay at the forefront of label printing technologies. “We aim to never have to say no to any label requirements and our trade ethics are second to none,” says Baker. Somewhat of a unique approach compared to other trade suppliers, Baker Labels offers a sort of ‘try before you buy’ service which enables customers to build up work on its presses to the point where they need their own. “It’s great business for us as even though we’d lose the work initially, we’ll have built a great relationship with our cus48 Since its inception 50 years ago, Baker Labels has continued to grow and add to its offerings. We speak to managing director Steve Baker about the company’s versatile and open approach over the years email: news@printmonthly.co.uk July / August 2023 - Issue 343 COMPANY SPOTLIGHT / BAKER LABELS Many label printers come to us when they don’t have the equipment or capabilities for added-value labels such as high-end embellishments ▲An operator with Baker's ABG Digicon label printing machine
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