Having opened its doors in July 1999, Labelnet is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, proudly serving thousands of UK companies with high-quality self-adhesive labels.
Labelnet was established by director Neil Southgate, who leveraged his experience in the print industry to create a welcoming, family-oriented business focused on producing self-adhesive labels. Starting with just three staff members and one printing press, the operation expanded each year with strategic investments. These included acquiring our factory in 2008 and implementing a new CRM system for improved efficiency in 2012. By 2020, our team had grown to over 20 employees, and we introduced our first digital printing press, ushering in a new era for Labelnet.
Continuously evolving to stay current with industry trends, we recently invested in an embellishment press, enabling us to offer our customers the most luxurious label finishes, including hot foiling, screen printing, and embossed textures.
As a business with a turnover now exceeding £5 million, we are consistently expanding in scale, with over 35 team members, multiple machines, and six departments. We are grateful for our loyal customers who have been with us since the start of our journey.
We've been actively supporting local charities through monthly donations to assist those in need. To mark our 25th year, we've partnered with SNAP, a children's charity in Essex, to raise funds and enhance their brand visibility through various company initiatives.
Our team has planned celebratory events throughout the year to commemorate this milestone together. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our customers for their loyal support over the past 25 years.
Having six staff members who have remained dedicated to Labelnet for 17-25 years exemplifies the close-knit family atmosphere we cherish here. We extend our gratitude to everyone who contributes to our success and are continuously seeking ways to enhance and expand our business for the benefit of our customers.
“When Labelnet was founded, our goal was to establish ourselves as a label manufacturer committed to building lasting relationships with our customers. Our focus was on delivering high-quality products and actively listening to our customers' needs. Recognising that many manufacturers prioritise profits over service and quality, we aimed to stand out in the market.
Today, this mission is more crucial than ever. Many smaller manufacturers have been absorbed by larger corporate entities, where profit often takes precedence over customer satisfaction.
Our dedicated team of experienced sales representatives engages daily with both new and existing customers, ensuring we fully grasp their requirements. Supported by diligent and highly technical administrative and production departments, we guarantee our customers' needs are met comprehensively.
At the outset of our journey, our primary customer base consisted of meat and sandwich manufacturers who required straightforward thermal labels for listing ingredients and weights on their products. Over time, we've observed a shift in our customer base and the growing importance of label design in attracting consumers and enhancing brand visibility in a competitive marketplace. This evolution has prompted us to invest in and upgrade our machinery to align with industry trends, enabling us to offer luxurious finishes and intricate embellishments to businesses seeking the most captivating labels possible.
We offer transparent and consistent pricing alongside superior product quality, which has allowed us to continuously attract new customers weekly and retain those we've served for decades—some since our inception 25 years ago.
Reflecting on the past quarter-century, I am immensely proud of our accomplishments. With ongoing investments in our team, machinery, and systems, I am excited about the direction of our future growth.”
Here's to the next 25 years printing labels!