Formulating the future

Iranpolymer/Baspar [BP&R] What prompted Rapid Colour Services to invest in a new extrusion line at this point in the company’s development? 

[RCS] The decision was driven by the continued growth of the business – 70% growth in the last 5 years. We had clearly reached a point where our strategic spare capacity was being utilised, so this was a very important investment for us and our clients.

As well as providing us with new opportunities for larger volumes, the new line enables us to have more capacity, tighter consistency and even better performance to maintain the high levels of quality, service and quick turnarounds our customers expect from us. After all, we were named Rapid Colour for a reason!

[BP&R] Talk me through the technology behind the new UEE Useon line and what particularly attracted you to this equipment. 

[RCS] We were particularly attracted by the combination of technology, build quality and overall capability.

We weren’t looking simply for a bigger machine, but one that would make us better at what we already do and give us the capability to do considerably more in the future.

The UEE Useon line gives us much greater control over the extrusion process, using touchscreen technology and data logging for production data insights. This means we can control the key processing parameters more precisely and achieve greater consistency from batch to batch.

[BP&R] How significant is the capacity increase, and where do you expect to absorb that additional capacity? 

[RCS] It’s a significant increase in the region of 750 Tonnes of masterbatch, giving us considerably more headroom than we had previously. We already have strong demand from our existing customer base, so a good proportion of that capacity will be absorbed through organic growth.

We’re also seeing opportunities with new customers that weren’t as practical for us to pursue, particularly with our recent entry into the exhibition circuit in the last four years.

Most importantly, we’re now able to say “yes” to more opportunities without compromising our market leading service. It gives us room to grow quicker than the 70% in five-year track record.

[BP&R How does the new line fit into Rapid Colour’s existing manufacturing setup? 

[RCS] This is the third new line in five years, so it complements what we already have rather than replacing it. We’ve taken the opportunity to build a much more flexible manufacturing operation, with the new extrusion line giving us additional capacity while our existing equipment continues to play an important role.

We’ve also invested in three brand-new mixers and a new blending area, so the extrusion line isn’t sitting there on its own looking pretty! Prior to this, we had invested in two new extrusion lines with the addition of a HEPA Dust Extraction and Air Filtration system for the plant to eradicate airborne contamination.

This paved the way for our initial growth, whilst ensuring that the factory environment was as clean as possible. The wider investment means we’re increasing capacity across the manufacturing process and giving ourselves much greater flexibility in terms of the products and volumes we can handle.

The goal is to create a production facility capable of supporting our existing customer base and the next stage of Rapid Colour’s growth.

[BP&R] Looking beyond the immediate benefits, what does this investment say about Rapid Colour’s ambitions for the business over the next three to five years?

[RCS] We’re proud to be an independent company, and we believe this independence is one of our greatest strengths.

We’re not part of a large, hierarchical group structure, so when we invest at this scale, it’s a clear statement about where we believe the business is heading. We don’t want Rapid Colour to simply be a company that has been around for a long time, but one that is continually evolving, improving and investing.

Over the next three to five years, our focus will be on growing our customer base, expanding our product range and further strengthening our position as a leading independent UK manufacturer of masterbatch and additives. Investment in technology will continue to be a major part of that strategy, but equally important is investment in our people.

You can buy the best machinery in the world, but unfortunately, it doesn’t come with a fully trained operator in the box. The technology is only as good as the people using it, so developing our team and bringing new skills into the business will be just as important as the equipment itself.

Ultimately, this investment is about much more than increasing capacity. It’s about building a stronger, more capable and more competitive Rapid Colour for the future and making sure that, five years from now, we’re still moving forward rather than simply looking back at how long we’ve been here.

[BP&R] What are some of your personal short- and long-term goals for the company?

[RCS] In the short term, our priority is to ensure that we maximise every possible benefit from the investment we made.

We want to see tangible improvements across the entire business, from production efficiency and product quality to customer service, responsiveness and, ultimately, our ability to win new business and strengthen existing customer relationships.

Looking ahead, we see Rapid Colour continuing to grow in terms of turnover and profitability, while maintaining the personal service and responsiveness that sets us apart from larger group-owned competitors.

For us, sustainable growth is about much more than simply increasing turnover; it’s about building a strong, resilient business with great people, loyal customers, excellent technical capabilities and a reputation for doing exactly what we say we are going to do.

If we can achieve all of that while maintaining our independence and, importantly, our sense of humour, then we would consider that a pretty successful business.

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