High Profile Embarks On Expansion
Richard Wood
High Profile, the UK’s leading manufacturer of standard and bespoke made plastic promotional products, is extending its ongoing plans to develop organically and grow its business with a deal to expand into a second unit adjacent to its current site. The capacity of the two buildings combined will ensure the company virtually doubles its square footage from 9,300 to 17,800.
The extra space and capacity at the newly expanded site will allow High Profile to increase its efficiency and improve its turnaround schedule as products will now be stored onsite. Additionally the company is able to develop, enhance and grow its printing and moulding shops to produce a more efficient and smoother workflow.
Over the last six years the company has grown exponentially with major growth across the business but particularly within its expansive Bottle range. As a result the company has implemented several changes and improvements to its systems to improve and increase productivity and output in its toolroom.
Most recently the company employed several extra staff members within its moulding and printing production departments with both areas running 24 hours a day, 5 days a week.
Richard Wood, Managing Director of High Profile commented: “When we started in 2006 we had 9300 sq ft, 14 employees, 14 moulding machines, 6 print machines and a turnover of £1.1million. Fast forward to year end Feb 2012 and we have 9,300 sq feet plus 150 pallets stored externally, 35 employees, 16 moulding machines, 13 print machines covering foil, pad and flat bed and rotary screen and a turnover of £2.45 million.
“Whilst our staffing levels, number of machinery and turnover have grown rapidly we have continued residing in our existing building. We reached maximum capacity and it was time to move into a much larger unit. However, having been in the current site for several years we were reluctant to relocate. When the site next door became available we jumped at the chance to take it on.
“The business is continuing to grow fast and we need to be able to expand further. There is now ample space in the new joint unit for us to continue growing over the years to come.
For 20 years High Profile was part of a major plc before a management buyout six years ago. The company has in-house tool, mould, print and assembly processes in place to provide customers with the products they need. High Profile is a UK based company and can control its own production processes as well as being able to custom manufacture products.
Environmental and ethical awareness and concerns are of high importance to the company and it has consciously looked to develop and enhance a low carbon footprint ethos. Any products that the company doesn’t manufacture itself are of European supply. It sources locally, and wherever possible uses recycled materials in products where the process and resource is available. Approximately 30% of what is manufactured in-house is made from recycled material. In addition, High Profile recently passed an Ethical Audit by an external agency and is a member of SEDEX, an organisation for businesses committed to the continuous improvement of the ethical performance of their supply chains
