Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Managing Director Nigel McSorley, Webtech, pictured with DETI Minister Arlene Foster
FRESH after the announcement of an expected 35 new jobs for the company after an £11m investment, Enniskillen company Webtech’s managing director has praised the staff who, he told the Herald, are to thank for its success.
Armagh man, Nigel McSorley has been at the helm of the business for the last five years and has overseen the mammoth growth of the business.
Webtech produces labels for the soft drinks bottling industry, and has a high number of ‘big name’ customers, including Coca-Cola, Schweppes, Nestle and all the major supermarkets.
It prints four billion labels a year.
Currently, the firm employs 120 at their premises in the Killyhevlin industrial estate, Enniskillen, and the purchase of two new printing presses, three slitters and other equipment related to ink flow and calibration will be done over the next three years.
“Five years ago,” he said, “the business was turning over around £7m, and we’ve helped secure growth and are going to finish this year with £19m sales this year – which is pretty tremendous growth.
“Over those years, we’ve installed two new printing presses, we’ve extended the factory, and spent about £10 or £11m on an extension to the factory.”
But what’s the secret?
“Five years ago this was a printing company, and printing companies historically had certain views on things.
“My background was in world-class manufacturing companies, and you were taking modern thinking processes and business improvement processes into printing.
“It’s now a manufacturing business that happens to be printing products. It is primarily a manufacturing business with world class manufacturing techniques and tools.”
Webtech’s decision to invest in the business comes ahead of forecasted ‘continued growth in sales across the UK, into Europe and North Africa’.
“To support that growth we need more equipment, more people, and obviously, more resources on site,” Mr McSorley went on.
“And, because we’re confident in our ability to deliver, we’ve actually installed the equipment before we bring the sales in.
“We’re talking to a lot of the big customers of ours across Europe and they’re happy for us to do it. They won’t give you orders unless you have the machine, so it’s chicken and egg.”
He said the success of the business was a ‘testament to the people themselves’.
“These people have done the work themselves in the last five years and turned this business around with the management team.
“The last few years, the people themselves have taken tremendous steps forward in improvements and efficiency gains.
“And to me – I feel really proud for them because they’ve created new jobs here.”
The jobs will be implemented in the next few years.
“It’s mainly going to be shop floor operational jobs, as well as some technical support, customer service and sales support jobs.
“It’ll be over the next few years, but we have started recruiting already.”
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