PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
Label manufacturer Smith & McLaurin has been servicing the packaging sector since 1849 with an extensive offering and a focus on customer relationships
A company ethos that emphasises service, trust and innovation has seen self-adhesive label, ticket and tag manufacturer Smith & McLaurin stand the test of time, with a rich history spanning almost 170 years.
Founded in 1849, the Renfrewshire-based company was the first self-adhesive laminator in the world to gain dual FSC certified and PEFC certified status, and continues to provide the labelling industry with a range of innovative, value added and cost-effective solutions to this day – all of which can be adapted to each individual customer’s needs.
The Adapt range includes Adapt LabelStock, which offers an unlimited choice of self-adhesive labelling solutions, including standard and modified commodity products; AdaptEco, which allows customers to boost its eco credentials with sustainably sourced recyclable and reusable materials such as cellulose free and recycled papers, along with a selection of PLA and cello films; AdaptUltra gives customers access to specialty products, ideally suited to applications including ultra-peelable labels, bottle collarettes, block-out labels, drypeel coupons and CD and greeting card labels;
AdaptVivant allows customers to add variety, especially for spirit and wine labelling with a rang of gloss, matt, satin, laid, textured and metallised papers available with a wide range of adhesives; Adapt2ST offers an economical range of non-top-coated and top-coated papers and films; and AdaptDigi, which includes gloss, matt and satin finish papers, clear and white PET/PP films, metallised papers and textured papers for use with digital printers.
“We can manufacture specific products for each customer for specific applications,” said Brian Penniston, technical manager at Smith & McLaurin.
“For example, if a heavy coat weight is required that has to stick to an unusual surface then we can tailor make our adhesives to suit that application. We can adapt to customer requirements to give them what they need.”
The company has built a number of long-standing customer relationships thanks to a combination of a quality product offering, an experienced technical team and a primary focus on customer service.
Lynsey Church, commercial manager, said, “Our customers are at the forefront of our minds in everything we do and for us it’s all about building strong relationships with our customers and becoming their trusted advisor.
“We don’t only sell materials but in fact help them at every stage of the product development process. We encourage customers to approach us with the problems they are having with current materials and using our technical expertise we can design or even just tweak products specifically for their application.”
Today Smith & McLaurin has a team of around 90, with a diverse workforce comprising of both long-serving and newer, younger staff. This, Lynsey said, “brings a fantastic mix of the experience and expertise of those who have been here a long time and the new energy and ideas that the younger members of staff bring to the table”.
She added, “Although we are no longer a family run business, and haven’t been for a while, we are very lucky that we still have that feel about the business.”
