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Production and distribution took place against the backdrop of an intermittent supply of raw materials and an increasing demand from the network of care homes. Living up to HC-One’s principles of involvement, accountability and partnership, Horner Brothers worked alongside the marketing team to ensure that those sites with the greatest need were supplied as a matter of priority and that management information was available to monitor the project’s progress. Apart from reducing pressure on the team and allowing them to concentrate on other objectives, this has established what we hope will be a solid platform for the future production and management of these business-critical items.
Secondly, a very warm welcome to our newest member of staff Glen Bott. Glen has taken on the role of Account Executive in our indirect account management team. He joins us after six months as an Area Sales and Retail Manager for Speedwell Office Systems, putting into practice here at Horner Brothers his management experience and considerable IT skills. We wish him well in this new challenge, and hope Horner Brothers will prove an excellent place to develop and progress. Welcome to the team Glen!
April 2012
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Horner Brothers manufactures a wide range of printing with digital and litho capabilities as well as an extensive range of finishing equipment. Additional services include the provision of an online ordering system, warehousing, pick/pack, distribution, management information, product and stock rationalisation, brand management, print audits and cost saving projects. Products include marketing literature, newsletters, point of sale and point of purchase print, business forms, personalised stationery, brochures, self adhesive labels, digital print, mailings and a whole host of printed communications material. A new addition to our capabilities is polypropylene which includes bespoke branded ring binders, document wallets, slip cases and packaging.
Having been in operation for over 30 years Horner Brothers is accredited with FSC, PEFC, ISO9001, ISO14001, Investors in People and the Two Ticks (disability) accreditation. Find out more about our plastic printing capabilities.
March 2012
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The surveillance audit checks that all of HBPG’s bought and sold materials comply with the FSC standard and that the correct logos are used on customer products. It also ensures that we are communicating the status of FSC and PEFC correctly.
All systems were examined and HBPG is pleased to have continued certification recommended. We have been FSC certified since 2005 and PEFC certified since 2007. By buying products with the FSC label we are supporting the growth of responsible forest management worldwide.Using FSC products is just one of the ways that Horner Brothers help customers to reduce their environmental impact.
February 2012
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Polypropylene is extremely robust, durable and flexible and is the ideal material for a wide range of uses including branded ring binders, boxes, folders and wallets for use as exhibition packs and promotional products. The material is easily machine cut, creased and folded and can be printed using many different techniques.
Our specialist production team takes pride in providing neat solutions to individual requirements. Horner Brothers can provide a variety of thicknesses and colours which can be applied to create a distinctive corporate package. These products offer businesses unique ways to promote themselves. If required Horner Brothers can manage stock levels and replenishments of branded items. Horner Brothers new plastic printing capability will have its very own website accessed through Horner Brothers website which will launch in early January 2012. If you would like to see some examples of the work we produce or would like further information about the products then please do not hesitate to contact the sales team at Horner Brothers.
Find out more about our plastic printing.
January 2012
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The airport's requirement is for a single procurement channel through which a variety of branded products can be managed and obtained within an agreed service framework. This is facilitated by Horner’s on-line ordering system, which has been adapted to integrate with the airport’s unique back-office systems.
The airport’s Skills Academy has a justifiable reputation for supporting the development of its staff and Horners have just completed a project with the on-site team to produce a suite of branded training documents that is being rolled-out across the 600-strong workforce. These items, which include a training workbook and other essential materials, were produced, fulfilled and delivered at short notice.
The client, Beth Gawthorpe, said, 'Thanks for the tremendous job you have done in getting the workbook binders, flash cards and posters to us on time at such short notice.'
Horners' Michael Atkinson said that the project demonstrates its ability to respond positively to clients' complex requirements and is a testimonial to great teamwork throughout the business.
December 2011
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This accreditation represents Horner Brothers special commitment to the employment of disabled people, and our dedication to addressing and removing disability issues from the workplace.
The certification involves the interview of all disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for a vacancy, as well as communicating with current disabled employees to ensure that personal abilities can be developed and utilised. The certificate also indicates a general high level of awareness throughout Horner Brothers regarding the employment, support and development of disabled people in the workplace. The disability symbol will be included on Horner Brothers recruitment literature as an indication of the company's commitment to being 'positive about disabled people'.
November 2011
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The article discusses whether digital and litho printing can be finished on the same kit or not. It demonstrates the problems of digital print on litho machines but both types of print can be completed on a single machine in the finishing process.
Here at HBPG as discussed in the article, it is possible to complete on a single finishing machine both litho and digital printing work in particular work on our business cards. Here at HBPG we either print business cards on our litho presses or digital presses. However when it comes to the end of the process the finishing of the cards are both completed on the same machine; the Rollem cutting machine. Here at HBPG we have three Rollem machines in total and on all three machines, both litho and digital business cards can be finished. However it is not possible to combine all litho and digital work for example HBPG have a specialist digital finishing kit for folding. The article concludes that it is down to the different types of work being produced not necessarily whether it is digital or litho print.
October 2011
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We are amongst the first few companies in the industry to have been awarded the seal. This is a new certification that aims to help printers show their customers how they have been improving their performance. The seal is a development of the healthcheck scheme which is already in place at the BPIF. Companies wanting to gain the award have been inspected by an auditor independent of the BPIF to see how they are improving in three areas; human resources, health and safety and environmental management.
HBPG are delighted to have been awarded the seal and especially as it is an industry specific award. HBPG already has Investors in People but are proud to have the industry specific recognition as well. We hope to see a positive effect from receiving the award and it demonstrates to our clients and HPBG employees that we are passionate about investing in peoples’ futures with us.
September 2011
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Race for Life
Race for Life is the UK’s biggest women only charity fundraising event. The annual event holds over 300, 5 kilometre races all over the country in aid of Cancer Research UK. Women take part for all kinds of reasons and raise money by running, jogging or walking the 5K race. This year on 17th July Horner Brothers HR Manager Christine ran the race in 37 minutes and raised £190 for the charity. Well done to Christine and all those who took part! Thank you to everyone who sponsored the run we hope to achieve the same next year!
Rotherham Dog Rescue
Rotherham Dog Rescue is a local charity to HBPG based in Brinsworth, Rotherham and was founded seven years ago. The charity rescues and re-homes up to 200 abandoned and unwanted dogs each year. Horner Brothers Receptionist Kathy is a regular volunteer at the charity and helps out by taking the rescue dogs on walks every weekend. The charity is always looking for volunteers to help raise funds, walk the dogs and donate food to the centre.
August 2011
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HBPG strive to share as much control as possible with clients through various facilities incorporated into the online ordering platform. Now, for orders that are processed via the Metapack delivery service, HBPG can also offer a highly accurate tracking facility stating both the departure and arrival times of the delivery at numerous stages of its journey. This tool therefore provides the client with the capability of knowing where their order is at any time between the point of order and the completion of delivery.
For a company to make substantial savings during the procurement of print, clarity of their actual spend level is vital. Understanding this, HBPG have incorporated functions into their online purchasing platform to maximise the clients knowledge of their print spend. One such function is an easy-to-understand usage graph, showing spend levels on a monthly basis. Not only does this feature allow the client to develop a more accurate understanding of their print spend levels, but the order history report helps the client to identify where their product portfolio can be streamlined and rationalised.
All these developments by HBPG aim to make procurement easy for our clients through online ordering. To compliment the user-friendly operation of the web platform, Horner Brothers also provide help guides and offer personal email assistance if required. For Horner Brothers, getting the print right is just the beginning; making the procurement process as simple as possible is where we stand out from the competition.
July 2011
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The addition allows for a reduction in lead times through the elimination of outsourcing necessities. By increasing in-house capability, HBPG is dedicated to strengthening its status as an independent print manufacturer that prides itself on the high level of service delivered to each and every client that it works with.
The new asset is warmly welcomed by the production team, and enhances the quality of an advanced finishing department that already consists of modern equipment ranging from creasing and cutting machines to binding and shrink wrapping.
HBPG have a tradition of reinvesting revenue into the business to help instigate growth and stability. The acquisition of capital reflects the ambition to increase the value of the company whilst simultaneously expanding manufacturing capability. The addition of the laminator follows on from several other state-of-the-art purchases in recent months, such as a Morgana DigiFold in September 2010, capable of running 1,300 sheets in one hour. 2010 also saw the HBPG invest in a more environmentally friendly Mercedes 311Cdi delivery van and increase warehouse efficiency with the purchase of an Aislemaster VNA Flexi-truck.
For HBPG, the purchase of capital equipment is not intended as a quick-fix solution to increase sales turnover, but as part of a long-term process of controlled expansion that follows the practice of operating as a sustainable, reliable, and efficient company. This principle is exemplified by the purchase of the Xerox iGen3 digital press in late 2009 to compliment HBPG’s already established extensive lithographic print capability. The purchase of the iGen was the culmination of an 18 month period of testing and research into the cost effectiveness of a variety of machines and the benefit to the company in adding shorter run personalised products to its offering.
HBPG’s portfolio of products and services may be updating on a regular basis, but the principles upon which the company was established remain constant to present day.
June 2011
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HBPG interaction with BT during this period has proved significantly beneficial to the client. We believe our role in the relationship extends further than the consistent provision of high quality print, to include the highest levels of customer service, along with the delivery of cost saving mechanisms to the customer. The success of this approach is reflected in the figures from the last half decade, which indicate that the implementation of management information and professional 'key account management' have led to the decrease of BT's print spend by an average of 22% per annum between the years 2007 and 2010.
These performance levels are the result of BT's employment of the numerous facilities that HBPG provide to ensure that print procurement is made as easy and cost effective as possible. HBPG supply BT with full stock management services, personalised stationery, and print on demand which BT users access via our online ordering platform. For BT, this online platform has instigated substantial stock rationalisation and acted as a single source solution for BT's print needs. With products that run across 8 different brands, such efficiency and consistency have been important factors of HBPG service to BT over the years.
HBPG currently produce an average of 730 personalised products each month for BT, and will continue to do so to a high standard. We look forward to utilising our vast experience with BT in the past to ensure a continued relationship further prospers into the future.
May 2011
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We recognised a long time ago that putting ink on paper at low cost is one thing, but enabling clients to control and operate their portfolio easily is another. The simple benefit of buying more cheaply is often outweighed by the effort involved, which is why we look as much at taking out process and making life easy as we do at keeping prices down. We organise it so that a client can go to their own place on the web, where our system shows all their products (whether printed or stocked), and because pricing is agreed beforehand they see what they will pay with no nasty surprises. Ordering, even for personalised stationery, is a matter of a few clicks and is always followed by an acknowledgement of what will be produced and when it will be delivered. Easy.
Online Ordering Video
As for control, it’s essential for stock managers to know what they hold, to be able to use historical data to predict when they are likely to need it and to evaluate their operational costs. Our management information tools deliver this powerful knowledge, meaning that stock can be kept at a minimum, reducing costs and lessening the risk of exposure to obsolescence.
How has our solution delivered this value to clients so they can operate more effectively? Prudential is a good example – we helped them remove costs totalling £5m across the lifetime of their relationship with Horner Brothers, and we can quote similarly successful stories elsewhere. We are in the process of talking to a leading international carrier about bringing their disparate print operation together in one place so that it is easy for end users all over Europe to locate and order the products they need to keep their business going.
April 2011
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On Red Nose Day, the employees embraced the fundraising spirit by holding a ‘Wear it Red’ day in the office. The company also held a charity football match in which the resident company football team HBP Benfica challenged a team from the rest of the company. After a closely contested encounter, HBP Benfica proved too strong and edged to a narrow 6-4 victory. A valiant effort from team Rest of Staff! HBPG raised a worthy £200 for the Comic Relief charity from these initiatives.
Our Warehouse Co-ordinator Lee Marson also involved himself in fundraising for the Cash for Kids charity, which raises money for underprivileged children in the UK. Lee successfully collected £122 pounds through the 5 brides, 1 wedding competition promoted by local radio station Hallam FM. Lee’s efforts and the generosity of the company employees will go a long way in helping to provide a brighter future for struggling children in the local community.
HBPG also strengthened its ties with Yorkshire based charity Reading Matters during the course of March. Numerous HBPG employees are already enrolled as voluntary reading mentors providing one-to-one sessions with local schoolchildren. On top of this, the company designed and produced a range of promotional bookmarks for Reading Matters to distribute on 3rd March, World Book Day 2011. The bookmarks were a success and helped to raise the profile of the charity at a time when investing in our children’s future is of the upmost importance.
Watch out for HBPG in the near future...
On Sunday 8th May, marketing assistant Mike Stevenson will be running the Sheffield Half Marathon to help raise money for the South Yorkshire branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, so give him a wave as he passes by!
March 2011
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Since then, Horner Brothers has been keen to continue and strengthen its relationship with the charity that focuses on supporting secondary school pupils who lack fundamental reading skills.
The latest Horner Brothers recruits for the volunteering programme are Business Development Manager Mark Ashmore and HSEQ Co-ordinator Bryan Andrew. Mark and Bryan will complete a training programme designed to equip them with the skills needed to make their support of pupils both effective and enjoyable. They will learn one-to-one tuition skills such as how to identify key reading difficulties, how to choose appropriate reading material and how to conduct preliminary reading age tests. The new additions involvement in local secondary schools will enhance Horner Brothers tradition of developing strong ties with the local community, and bringing benefits where it can.
Reading Matters is a very worthy cause in a time when investing in children's education is of the upmost importance. Pupils who suffer from poor literacy levels are susceptible to low self confidence and self esteem, and can have serious negative implications on their future employability. By working with struggling pupils, Mark and Bryan will be joining a team dedicated to improving not only their standard of literacy, but also their chance of a bright future.
February 2011
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National Car Parks resides its stationery work, consisting of business cards (uniquely die cut to the shape of a parking ticket), letterheads and compliment slips, along with other printed materials with Horner Brothers. This partnership began in 2005 and through the tender process which began in May 2010 NCP decided to remain with Horners with the added opportunity to grow the business relationship further.
As part of the agreement Horners has provided NCP with an enhanced web-to-print service including features such as a 'save basket', cost centre validation which will be used to streamline invoice processing, PO number input/authentication and online MI all of which provide a better service to the client at no extra cost. We are continuously striving to improve in order to maintain high levels of customer satisfaction and the Horners web to print service is one of the key factors in that service.
January 2011
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The event saw 4 of our ladies take part in the run and raise money for the prestigious cause. Christine Mullan and Sarah Helliwell ran at Herringthorpe whilst Lisa Hinson and Lynsey Short were over in Clumber Park also burning off the calories all in good spirit. Emma Wilson was all limbered up for the run and had raised money but unfortunately couldn't take part due to being asked to be a god mother on the same day... there's always next year Emma!
Each lady had their motives for taking part- personal heart ache, moral support or in general support of the charity, but each one did the company proud as well as themselves. With cancer research UK funding over 4,800 researchers, doctors and nurses throughout the UK all the runners have played their part in beating the disease.
Altogether the money raised by the Horner Brothers ladies was over £410! A big congratulations to the girls, and a big thank you to all of those that dug deep and sponsored. Let's hope for the same response next year.
December 2010
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...With a bit of effort you will have been able to read this statement but imagine everything being this difficult to read. Illiteracy is not uncommon and with the statistics on the increase Horner Brothers are playing their part in giving struggling school children better prospects for the future.
Historically Horners have supported a wide variety of charities but in 2006 we decided to take a focused and controlled approach to our community care initiatives, thus picking one main charity so that we could commit to continual effort and contribution over a long term basis. A relationship was formed with Reading Matters, a charity developed to support secondary school pupils who lack fundamental reading skills to become confident and enthusiastic readers.
The scheme looks for forward-thinking organisations with a genuine interest and commitment to community engagement. With our business bein the production of printed documents the partnership was fitting, as we are involving ourselves in the development of reading skills in order for children to be able to read the medium which we print. With our aims now focused on continuous community contribution it was overall the perfect partnership to strike up.
The programme has allowed employees at the company to take time out of the office to provide one-to-one reading tuition to children at a local high school. The children that received tutoring from our staff saw dramatic improvements, with reading ages increasing by up to and over a year in a single term.
With considerable effort and dedication from Michelle Barker she was able to improve four year 7's reading avilities by 3, 6, 11 and 12 months. Giving them a better standing within education, and considerably better prospects for their futures. This ongoing partnership can only continue to achieve such results.
Similarly, Christine Mullan had a massive impact on the childrens' reading abilities. Two year 8 pupils under her guidance both had an 18 month improvement within comprehension; one had a chronological age improvement from 13.04 to 14.00 and the other from 11.07 to 12.06. Simply without the help provided by Reading Matters these children would have continued to struggle in silence and their education and life after education would have equally suffered.
The third annual Yorkshire Forward 'Creating Better Futures' awards took place on July 1st 2010 which saw Horner Brothers and the Reading Matters Scheme rewarded for their ongoing contribution to the community.
Catherine McGrath, Chief Executive of Reading Matters, said “At Reading Matters, we want society in general to have a better understanding of why some young people struggle with reading and the wider negative impact that this can have on their lives, their families lives and on society as a whole.”
November 2010
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In May of this year Horner Brothers were invited to tender for the supply of printed stationery and operational documents supplied as part of a fully managed solution. Having previously used a roster of printers Homeform had decided that a better solution was required for the provision of print as part of a process to drive out cost. In June Horner Brothers were awarded the contract, reputedly worth £200k per annum, which commenced at the beginning of August. The service includes printing, warehouse and distribution and the provision of a front end online ordering system to manage the whole process. Stood with Judith Fox (Managing Director) and Mark Ashmore (Sales Manager) is Mark Collier (Marketing Director) from HomeForm.
Horner Brothers solution will help Homeform manage their print stock levels closely, eradicate the unnecessary cost of destroying out of date stock, providing MI to ensure department managers are able to closely monitor print budgets, consolidate deliveries to the 3 main sites to reduce carriage costs, maintain brand accuracy as well as providing a reduction in cost through very competitive pricing.
Homeform chose Horner Brothers, out of the handful of suppliers that tendered, because apart from the competitive pricing the solutions we provide fits perfectly with where Homeform wants to be in terms of improved technological solutions, brand management, high quality print and the close management of their print supplies.
October 2010
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It is fully automated, compact and easy to use - it is suction-fed and the only automated folder using a creasing rule and matrix with the ability to crease material prior to folding. Unlike scoring, which breaks the surface of the material, the creasing rule and matrix mechanism prevents cracking during the folding process.
The creasing element of the system - the auto-creaser - is entirely new and uses a number of highly innovative operating systems to ensure that finished documents are creased and folded without any cracking.
The picture below shows the difference in product quality when using the digifold - the example on the right is creased and folded on the Digifold - notice the lack of cracking.
The DigiFold can be set to operate in three modes:
- For standard folding configurations it works in 'set to fold' mode – the system automatically sets the creasing and folding position.
- In 'set to' mode, the operator sets the creasing and folding positions - this is particularly useful where extra creases or difficult configurations are required.
- The third mode enables the machine to be used as an automated creasing machine from which the creased work is delivered flat.
The Digifold runs at 1,300 sheets per hour.
September 2010
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The Yorkshire and Humber environment index benchmarks companies and other organisations within the region against their peers, based on their environmental management and performance in key impact areas.
Entering the index provides us with a framework in which we can improve our management systems & also allows us to:
- Analyse gaps
- Measure progress
- Drive improvement
- Raise awareness of the environment as a strategic, competitive issue at board level
- Assist in communicating our environment performance to stakeholders and customers alike
August 2010
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Centrica, also known as British Gas, has a vast usage of our products and services with orders for personalised stationery, operational forms and documents as well as utilising our artwork studio, warehousing facilities and web to print services. Therefore to receive such high praise from them has been a real positive here at Horner Brothers and we thank them for their ongoing support.
The survey has also been useful in enabling us to gain general feedback we couldn't have otherwise obtained; and most importantly to us highlighting areas that we can now endeavour to improve.
A consistent message in the additional comments was that of prompt service:
"Great service provided with my recent involvement, prompt service, always helpful and quick to respond to urgent demands. Very satisfied customer."
July 2010
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Two different types of fork lift truck were currently in use, a dedicated narrow aisle truck for indoor operations & a counterbalance truck for outdoor loading operations. Neither fork lift truck could carry out the other's work & the narrow aisle trucks were no longer cost effective due to high maintenance costs associated with their age.
The Aislemaster VNA (very narrow aisle) flexi-truck was identified as a suitable alternative thanks to its unique articulated design & compact build. This enables it to perform both the indoor & outdoor warehouse operations with ease; effectively we were getting 2 for the price of one.
A robust design provides ample operator protection, along with excellent comfort levels & operational visibility. Training requirements were minimal with existing warehouse staff truck licence holders only requiring a 1 day familiarisation course, which was given on site by the manufacturers.
Low maintenance costs are anticipated thanks to the hydrostatic drive & brushless DC motor technology. New battery technology & improved, simplified maintenance features keep the Aislemaster user friendly for our warehouse staff. Replacing two older trucks with one new also reduces environmental impacts & energy costs as battery charging requirements are reduced.
June 2010
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Recently the contract was awarded to provide the complete print solution to one of the world's largest consultancy, engineering and project management providers AMEC, valued at £500k pa. The contract is being delivered in partnership between Horner Brothers and Netstationers.
Following a tender process Horners have now been awarded the print contract to supply Payzone, which is a nationwide organisation that enables the payment of a multitude of bills from mobile top up to utility bill payments through a network of 30,000 retailers. The work is predominantly point of sale but includes operational and marketing print as well.
The second of the new contract wins is to provide the retail group, Morleys, with operational print. Morleys Stores Group began life in the late 1800's currently operates eight department stores in the Greater London area. In both cases the contracts will require the implementation of the Horners bespoke online ordering system which, once the norm for large multinational organisations, is increasingly becoming a standard requirement regardless of the business scale.
Due to the fact that Horners online system has been fully developed in house and has been in operational use for over 10 years it works well, can be modified to suit most customer needs, is scalable, and for larger contracts is offered free of charge.
May 2010
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SSL International Plc is a consumer products company with the leading global brands Durex and Scholl as well as a diverse portfolio of 27 locally owned over-the-counter brands in the UK, such as Cuprofen, Diocalm, Full Marks, Meltus, Ralgex and Resolve.
In April we will go live with a bespoke e-commerce website which will allow users from any SSL location to access their product catalogue. Using this secure facility users can create personalised items such as business cards, view live stock levels for items held in our warehouse and request call-off or place orders for a wide range of print-on-demand items.
April 2010
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Our studio was initially involved working closely with the client to determine the requirements for the updated stationery and once approved, we updated all working templates and job cards within 24 hours.
Due to the numbers of personalisations involved we were able to utilise our IT team to allow us to import the data via programmes we have developed in house, supported with our data input personnel for manual orders. The number of personalisations involved so far during March 2010 is 5,179.
This breaks down further to:
- No of Letterheads - 892,000 A4's (over 333 personalisations)
- No of Comp Slips - 1,027,000 1/3 A4's (over 604 personalisations)
- No of Business Cards - 738,400 (over 4,242 personalisations)
We are still receiving orders for the above project with personalisations during March to be in excess of 6,500. All of these orders have been despatched with the usual SLA with no adverse impact on other contracts SLA's. Some urgent orders of these rebranded business areas have had their stationery despatched within 24hrs of receipt of the order data.
For comparison we've shown below the total number of personalisations processed for this client on a normal monthly basis:
- March 2010 - No of Personalisations: 6,500+
- February 2010 - No of Personalisations: 2,459
- January 2010 - No of Personalisations: 2,835
We regularly process around 15,000 personalisations a month across 50+ contracts and are resourced to handle whatever your business needs are, both one off projects such as this, or ongoing month in month out demands. Horner Brothers are proud to be considered 'best in class' within the area of personalised stationery.
March 2010
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The EU are constantly setting tougher emission standards for vehicle engines & introducing stricter limits on pollutant emissions from light road vehicles, particularly for emissions of nitrogen particulates and oxides.
Euro standards are the air quality pollutant emission standards that all new vehicles have to reach before they can be sold in Europe.
Pictured accepting the keys to Horner Brothers new Mercedes 311CDi delivery van is procurement manager Tony Askew.
The van is fully compliant to Euro 4 emissions standards & kitted out with a Joloda pallet loading system to improve loading operations & reduce manual handling requirements, making it better for our employees as well as the environment.
The 311 satisfied Horner's tender requirements as it delivers Euro 4 emissions compliance, improved fuel economy & reduced vehicle interior noise levels. Upgrading to Euro 4 from Euro 3 gives a reduction of 30% for Nitrogen Oxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, Hydrocarbons & Carbon Monoxide, and in addition, a much higher reduction of 80% for Particulate Matter.
February 2010
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Where possible they take advantage of any government funding that is available throughout South Yorkshire for Training and Development.
Horners take a structured approach to training that highlights skills gaps, Personal Development Reviews for all staff are undertaken where the focus is on setting objectives and training and development needs.
Horners have been in partnership with the BPIF since 2003 and offer staff the opportunity to study for an NVQ or a Modern Apprenticeship in Machine Printing, Desk Top Publishing, Print Finishing and Print Administration and more recently Customer Service.
They also offer Warehouse staff the opportunity to gain an NVQ in Warehousing and Distribution through a local training provider.
Horners have had discussions with Business Impact UK regarding another training initiative to offer an NVQ in Business Improvement Techniques using a structured approach to improve continuously. An improvement team has been put together, from a cross section of staff at all levels within the organisation and with different levels of experience. They are being trained in-house and given the tools and techniques on measuring and collecting data, KPI's, 5S's and 7 wastes and have started to undertake three business improvement projects. If this is a success the programme will be rolled out across the company.
How does Horners quantify the benefits of their training development? Some of the key performance indicators used are:
- Reduced waste such as skips to landfill
- Energy usage
- Quality
- Operator efficiency
Horners carry out bi-annual attitude surveys and have received excellent feedback from Individuals who left school with no qualifications and are really proud of their achievements which in turn improves staff morale. At the Personal Development Reviews, individuals discuss what training they require and they have the confidence to ask about training opportunities and also put forward suggestions through our 'Bright Ideas' Suggestion Scheme.
Finally Horners have a Centre of Excellence Board and all the certificates staff have achieved are on show within the factory. As at today 47 members of staff have achieved or are currently studying for a formal qualification.
January 2010
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The British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF) is the principal business support organisation representing the UK print industry. It offers numerous practical solutions for all areas of a print organisation, such as Health & Safety, Environmental and Quality issues. This is all delivered by individuals and teams of highly skilled, experienced print industry specialists.
In 2006 Horners invited the BPIF to carry out an external Health & safety Healthcheck report with the aim of benchmarking our Health and safety management systems against current UK health and safety legislation and good practice within the print industry. They achieved a score of 92% in the healthcheck report, an outstanding first attempt.
As with most audits of this kind feedback was provided, which highlighted several opportunities for improvement. This resulted in additional measures being implemented in several areas, Transport & Traffic Routes, Chemical use, Noise at Work, Working at Height, Control of machinery & associated hazards, Training, and Manual Handling.
Horners invited the BPIF back to carry out another Healthcheck safety report in October 2009. A thorough site visit together with a comprehensive survey of our H&S systems was carried out by the BPIFs leading HSE specialist. This resulted in a score of 96%, a hard fought for improvement of 4% on the last healthcheck. This was an excellent achievement which amply demonstrates the commitment in providing employees & visitors alike with a safe and healthy working environment.
December 2009
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Horner Brothers, the Rotherham based print solutions provider, supply BT with full stock management services, personalised stationery, print on demand and an in house developed fully interactive website through which products are ordered. BT's products cross 8 different brands so brand compliance is extremely important and is controlled and monitored by Horners to the stringent guidelines set by BT. Personalised products are ordered and proofed by BT via Horner Brothers custom built website. Horners produce an average of 730 personalised products every month for BT.
BT's Tony Aitken said "BT sets great store by having reliable, innovative suppliers. Horner Brothers has always been a company that is true to its word. The service over the years has been fantastic, they have always delivered what they say they are going to deliver and are a first class supplier to BT."
Judith Fox, Managing Director at Horner Brothers said "We are delighted that BT has taken the decision to extend the contract and we will be working closely with them to ensure that further opportunities for cost reduction and service enhancement are delivered."
November 2009
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A Xerox iGen3 digital press has been installed to sit alongside the 21 litho presses already in situ at the Rotherham based firm. Horner Brothers decided on the Xerox press after 18 months of tests and comparisons with other digital providers. “Our customer base is dominated by blue chip names for whom we manage to very stringent brand requirements. It was essential that the selected digital press could run alongside our existing litho presses and deliver the same levels of quality.’ Initially some work will be converted from litho to digital and the new iGen will be particularly suited to sit behind the company’s in house web ordering platform delivering short run personalised products.
Initial customer feedback has been positive and BT, who were Horners first Blue Chip customer some 18 years ago, became the first major client to sign off the transfer of business cards being printed litho to digital. Tony Aitken of BT visited the site to see the new kit first hand and witnessed the slick process by keying in his order, watching it being printed and then cut and boxed all within an hour.
Managing Director, Judith Fox said “the conversion of business cards to digital makes commercial sense for us and our customers, however this investment will do much more than business cards and enable us to broaden the range of products produced in house. There are a number of exciting opportunities which are being pursued using the iGen as part of the solution.
September 2008
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Members of staff were given the afternoon off work to unwind and take part in a variety of activities. Teams were mixed by department which meant that work colleagues had the opportunity to interact with staff from around the company. At the end of the afternoon winners were declared and medals awarded to the jubilant team. Celebrations continued well into the evening with food, music and fireworks.
Managing Director Judith Fox said "Overall feedback from staff was that the day was a huge success. Everyone got into the competitive spirit and had a lot of fun."
As part of the day Horner Brothers also organised a raffle prize draw, and all proceeds were donated to the local Rotherham Hospice. Staff were successful in raising a total of £1,250, which will be used to directly benefit patients and their families.
Septermber 2009
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