Lamport Gilbert

Why Have you Come to Our Blog?

2010-06-19T16:47:00.005+01:00

Why have you come to our Blog?
Maybe you are searching for Ideas, Information, News or maybe Inspiration,whatever has drawn you to this page I hope you find want you want and if you don't, please contact me and let me know what you are searching for and I will do all I can to answer your questions.

I am often asked by prospective clients what sets Lamport Gilbert apart from other suppliers, the answer is simple:
We have grown as a company because we care about our clients and more importantly we care whether the projects we design make a return on the clients investment.
Sounds Simple doesn't it, but in reality that's why we are in business, to help our clients make money!!

Many marketeers have spent time planning a communication plan for their company, but who do they get to implement it?
They could go to 4 or 5 different suppliers and buy the Graphic Design, E-Mail marketing, Print, Mailing and Data Management at separate companies, but how much time could they save by talking to Lamport Gilbert who can show them how our integrated service can save them Time AND Money.

We have many case studies of work we have produced and we are happy to put you in touch with some of our clients to find out first hand how we perform, contact Charles Day at cday@lamport.co.uk and ask "How can you help me?"

Green Energy

2009-12-01T16:49:00.002Z

As part of our drive towards a low carbon output and in line with EMAS environmental standards, Lamport Gilbert are to take energy from a sustainable source as of 1st November 2009. This will help us to ensure that as a company we continue to improve Lamport Gilbert’s environmental credentials keeping us a leader in ethical printing.

From 1st November 2009 Lamport Gilbert will be changing its electricity supply over to N Power they have agreed to supply us with 'Green Energy'

This is energy generated from a “Renewable Source”
• Wind(on-shore and off-shore)
• Hydro
• Co-firing of biomass
• Landfill gas
• Sewage gas
• Energy from waste
• Solar
• Tidal
• Wave
• Geothermal
• Energy crops
or such other sources of electricity generation as may, from time to time, be awarded renewable status by the Authority;

What percentage renewable energy sources are used to supply Lamport Gilbert.
Wind 60.7%
Biomass and Fossil Fuel 5.2%
Biomass 6.2%
Hydro 9.2%
Landfill Gas 16.7%
Sewage Gas 1.9%

Lamport Gilbert will be issued with a CCL Exempt Certificate. (certification that electricity is generated from a Renewable Source.)

What is the Climate Change Levy (CCL)?
The CCL is an environmental tax imposed, at the time of supply, on non-domestic consumers, with offsetting cuts in employers' National Insurance Contributions. It was introduced in April 2001.

Why do we have CCL?
In 1997, at the Kyoto Summit on Climate Change, the EU signed an agreement to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 8% on 1990 levels by the year 2012. The UK government agreed to reduce emissions by 12.5% on 1990 levels by 2012. CCL aims to promote energy efficiency within businesses.

New Era for Lamport Gilbert

2009-11-07T14:44:00.007Z

Change is the order of the day, in all sectors we are seeing the way we work and the technology we employ changing at a rapid rate and the challenge for all business's is to somehow keep up with the demands this make on our resources and and on our ability to think strategically while coping with the day to day demands of keeping the business going.
Nowhere is the technology changing quicker than in the print industry,and the demands made by our clients for lower cost, quicker response times, higher standards of colour control and all delivered within an environmentally sustainable way are extreme.
However, the Lamport Gilbert team are stepping up to the mark, already one of the leading lights in delivering printed products within an environmentally sound way we are now widening our offering to include Graphic Design, Web and Digital Design,Logistics and Mailing, Point of Sale and more services to follow in the near future.
This change of emphasis means we are now bringing our management expertise to the field of Digital Marketing.

What is Digital Marketing?
For the first time business's will be able to plan a communication strategy and then see one company deliver that strategy for them, competitively and in an environmentally sound way. Sounds Interesting??
The key to this is based on the fundamentals of the way Lamport Gilbert have worked for the 110 plus years its been in business, that is, partnership with its clients, and partnership only works if both sides can see the real Added Value and commit themselves to it.

Royal opening highlights historic working partnership

2009-08-13T08:34:00.012+01:00

A successful 60-year business link between working partners in Reading and London will be symbolically reaffirmed by the opening of a new £2 million St. John Ambulance distribution centre in Peterborough by HRH The Princess Royal on July 16.

It was fitting that Thames Valley printing company Lamport Gilbert was one of the first to congratulate St. John Ambulance on completion of its new purpose-built national distribution centre in Peterborough – Lamport Gilbert has been working with St. John Ambulance Supplies since the middle of the last century.

The Reading-based firm has grown and developed with the St. John Ambulance Supplies network, which now provides state-of-the art worldwide distribution of its 6,000-plus products. Lamport Gilbert prints the majority of St. John Ambulance product, training and service support documentation.

St. John Ambulance Supplies also entrusts Lamport Gilbert with the storage and supply of more than 70-tonnes of their various printed materials – held in an online stock-order system Lamport Gilbert devised especially for them.

“As long-time working partners we are delighted to congratulate St. John Ambulance Supplies on relocating its London and regional warehousing to its new single-site product distribution centre in Peterborough,” said Charles Day, sales director of Lamport Gilbert.

“It will be wonderful for St. John Ambulance Supplies to get its entire product stock in one location, since this can only benefit efficiency and performance for its suppliers and international customers alike.

“We like to think that St. John Ambulance Supplies has also benefited over the past 60 years by getting its entire printing requirements from one location!”

Account manager Bob Sym will represent Lamport Gilbert at the distribution centre official opening by HRH The Princess Royal, Commandant in Chief of St John Ambulance, the UK's leading First Aid charity. Bob has been handling the needs of St. John Ambulance Supplies for the past 27 years.

“Our relationship with Lamport Gilbert is based on a professional trust created through their long-term continuity of performance, quality and value,“ explained Stephen English, general manager of St. John Supplies. “Throughout the years Lamport Gilbert has taken as much care with our printing jobs as we would an injured person.”

Lamport Gilbert is one of the few printers in the country working to the environmental management standard ISO 14001, and will no doubt be a supportive ‘old-friend’ as St. John Ambulance Supplies progresses towards the achievement of its own ISO 14001 environmental accreditation status and future sustainability plans.

Enduring links and heritage go hand in hand for the two organisations. Lamport Gilbert, one of the Thames Valley’s oldest printing firms, proudly celebrated its own centenary with the turn of the millennium. St. John Ambulance is slightly older, having a long and detailed history dating back over 900 years to “The Crusades”

Lamport Gilbert and The Carbon Trust

2009-06-08T15:34:00.002+01:00

Reading-based Lamport Gilbert provides print solutions to businesses around the UK specialising in the charities market. The company has made a conscious policy decision to ensure that care of the environment is a key consideration in all of its work practices, processes and methods of operation. Driven by Peter Smith, Group MD, and the Directors and Managers, the company has a dedicated 'Environmental Team' which is constantly reviewing its processes and procedures in order to improve the environmental policy.
In order to measure and examine the impact of its activities, Lamport looked to the Carbon Trust to provide a carbon survey which highlighted where it could eliminate or reduce the carbon emissions released into the environment, as well as to reduce its energy spend. On the Carbon Trust’s recommendation, Lamport Gilbert made the following energy management improvements:
To install Passive Infrared Sensor (PIR) lighting across the factory and office to avoid unnecessary electricity use.
To replace inefficient fluorescent bulbs with efficient T5 adapters.
To set software controls on office PC's and laptops to hibernate machines left idle.
To run an internal awareness campaign to encourage staff to switch off lighting and PCs when not in use.
To conduct an electricity audit to pinpoint and reduce energy demand during expensive peaks, thereby enabling placing the factory in a more cost-effective energy band with their supplier.
To introduce an environmental procurement strategy, which resulted in the purchase of a press, requiring approximately 50 per cent less power than an alternative machine.
Resulting environmental achievements include:

Reduction of annual energy costs in the Reading site by between £8,000 to £10,000 since the Carbon Trust survey in March 2008.
An annual energy reduction of between 14 per cent and 17 per cent.
Saving 26 tonnes of carbon dioxide, which translates to a reduction of approximately 10% on the company’s carbon footprint.
Reducing levels of Isopropanol (IPA) across both sites and Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions, with a long term plan to eliminate the use of IPA altogether within its printing processes.
Using environmentally-friendly vegetable-based inks and water-based coatings.
Reducing landfill by 70% by improving dry waste streams, and the recycling of paper, printing plates, ink cartridges, pallets and plastic.
Cutting water use on the plate setter by 50%.
Purchasing two LPG vehicles across the group to minimise transport emissions.

The Pinnacle of Environmental Management

2008-10-17T16:51:00.019+01:00

The EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (that's a bit of a mouthfull) is better known as EMAS, thank goodness that's a bit easier to manage.

What is It - it's a voluntary market based instrument designed to encourage better envoronmental performance from all sorts of organisations. Currently only a handful of UK companies have achieved this level.

Completely compatible with IS0 14001 but requiring better performance, employee involvement, legal compliance and communication with stakeholders.

EMAS also requires companies to produce an independently verified report of their performance. In a recent guide by "The Print Business" it showed over 500 companies listed with more than half accredited to IS0 14001, but only 8 companies accredited to EMAS.

Why am i talking about this? - We have decided at Lamport Gilbert that this must be our next goal after ISO14001 and so a working party has been called together to drive this through our business.

Why EMAS? - It provides us with a quality label for voluntary environmental management, internal efficiency, environmental communication and transparency.

EMAS is a badge of credibilty, it is clear and verifiable.

EMAS provides a framework for setting targets, measuring, monitoring and reporting on performance.

I will be giving you regular updates on our progress. In the meantime if you need any further information please call and i'll give all the help i can, look forward to speaking to you.

Halloween Point of Sale

2008-09-09T16:38:00.007+01:00

One of our clients wanted to promote some of their snack products in the period up to Halloween last year (2007).

Lamport Gilbert designed a range of images to be used on their Point-of-Sale and Point-of Purchase units, so successfull was this promotion we have been invited to repeat the trick this year.

With the headline Great Deals for Less we produced a striking Pumpkin and Bats image which struck a chord with adults and children alike.

Look out for them soon in Esso outlets.

FSC and PEFC - a Perspective.

2008-09-08T14:03:00.019+01:00

Lamport Gilbert consider their responsibility to the environment very seriously and as part of our environmental policy have gained both FSC & PEFC Chain of Custody. The following small report gives some background information the FSC and PEFC Forest Certification Programmes and how using recycled papers and materials from sustainable sources can help our environment.

The Environment
Issues such as quality, price and service have always been regarded as key considerations for us and our customers, however more recently there has been growing concern regarding the materials used for manufacture, their impact on the environment and the requirement to maintain the integrity of these products throughout the supply chain.

Many organisations are becoming more aware of Environmentally Friendly Products (EFP) and their Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR) to the environment. Our customers are now frequently asking questions on issues such as the source of raw materials, the credentials of the supplier, the availability of EFPs, the standards accredited to these products and what claims and statements they can make when using them.

Does Recycling Paper Help the Environment?
Recycling paper helps the environment in a number of ways. It reduces the amount of waste paper going to landfill and rubbish dumps, reducing the number of landfill sites we need. It also reduces the amount of natural resources needed to produce paper. Recycled paper does not use wood and the process of making paper from recycled pulp uses fewer resources such as fossil fuels and water.

Why Certify Forests?
Consumers, public and enterprise procurement policies in increasing numbers are seeking evidence of environmentally sound business practices. The most effective way to guarantee that the timber and paper products you sell come from legal and
sustainable sources is by sourcing them from independently certified forests. This is where PEFC and FSC can help you.

The Certification Programmes
There are two main forestry certification programmes, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
The FSC is an international network to promote responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC has developed a system of forest certification that allows consumers to identify wood and wood based products from well-managed forests. To date, 78 million hectares of forest in 82 countries are certified to FSC standards
and with the FSC ‘tick-tree’ logo, it is probably the most widely recognised brand.

Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)
The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is an independent, non-profit, non governmental organisation founded in 1999 which provides a framework for mutual recognition of national forest certification schemes across the world. PEFC currently covers over 200 million hectares of forest producing millions of tonnes of certified timber to the market place making it the world’s largest certification scheme.

There are few differences between the two schemes, except to say that the amount of forest covered by the PEFC is approximately 2.5 times that covered by FSC. This is because the PEFC is a global umbrella for the assessment and recognition of 32 different national forest certification systems awarded through independent third party certification.

In December 2006, the UK Government confirmed that the PEFC sustainable forest management certification provided an assurance that its certified timber-based products originated from legal and sustainable sources.

Chain of Custody
Any company carrying out material alteration to FSC or PEFC material and want this to be identified as a certified product, need to gain Chain of Custody certification. Chain of Custody provides evidence that products originate from well managed forests and verifies that these products are not mixed with products from uncertified forests at any point in the supply chain. This evidence is provided by FSC or PEFC registration.

The Process & Implications
The process involved for an organisation to obtain FSC and PEFC Chain of Custody is relatively straight forward but extremely important. Systems and procedures need to be put in place to prove that we can separate products produced using certified materials throughout the manufacturing process. This will involve labelling certified material, identifying certified products on all paperwork for example estimates, job tickets, delivery notes, box labels and invoices. In order to do this, we are working with our management information system provider to help us facilitate this process.

There are a number of certification bodies (110 in the UK), many of which are able to audit organisations for FSC and PEFC, however we have found out that BM TRADA are the only UK certification body who can offer an organisation both PEFC and FSC Chain of Custody in one audit.

Corporate and Social Responsibility
As a company, we have a key responsibility to the environment. Following this process gives us and our customers the satisfaction that we are using raw material from a sustainable source, and also enables us to provide proof of this and to promote it.

Colour Management

2008-08-29T11:55:00.014+01:00

A complete colour management solution is now in place across our sister companies.

We have been working with Heidelberg Graphic Equipment Ltd within their Axis colour control software.

Our aim is to cross calibrate colour standards, between the pre press department and the printing press. This will give a standardised product that can be monitored on line, to a recognised ISO standard.

This ensures and enables a number of key functions

- Axis colour control has been installed on both CD presses. This gives us the ability to scan running sheets to ensure colour consistency from the beginning to the end of the print run.

- Axis colour control is profiled to the ISO 12647-2 industry Print Colour Standard. This is the industry recognised colour standard.

- CIP3 information is sent to both printing presses containing ink usage and duct settings for faster make readies. This results in faster colour correctness and reduced waste paper coming off the presses, at the set up stage.

- Dot gain curves on both CTP output devices enable us to produce plates on either site to conform to the ISO 12647-2 dot gain tolerances on press.

- ICC Colour profiles on both the Lamport Gilbert and Blackmore proofing devices, provide consistent press match proofs across the group.

- Monitor calibration in place to give press likeness on screen

Point of Sale Gathering

2008-08-01T14:17:00.013+01:00

A recent visitor to Lamport Gilbert was asking about the production of "Point of Sale" material.

We were able to show him a range of items we have produced for a wide range of customers, and while we had them all in one place we took this photograph.

Our experience in handling this sort of work goes across many companies and sectors, including forecourt, Pubs and Restaurants.

Our creative team work very closely with the client and ensure the item not only works in creative terms but the phsyical size is suitable for its environment and the materials suit the location its to appear in.

A New Generation....

2008-08-01T10:50:00.002+01:00

The next generation of delivery vehicles have just arrived at Lamport Gilbert.
Running on LPG, our new vehicles will reduce the carbon emmissions of delivering printed material to our clients, and further enhance our already impressive environmental credentials.
In addition the clean looking livery will draw attention on the highways and by-ways of Berkshire - but if your stuck behind it in a traffic jam at least you know your not getting a nose full of noxious fumes!
Why choose LPG? for a start the noise from LPG fueled diesel engines is quieter than from a diesel fueled unit keeping noise pollution to a minimum.
A fuel spill will evaporate quickly - so no risk of ground or water contamination - the same can't be said for diesel or petrol.
LPG vehicles emit 20% less carbon dioxide, less Nitric Oxide and 120 times less of fine particulates. (According to European research)
LPG is also cheaper currently than diesel - so our clients and the environment win all round.
Few printers are as advanced as Lamport Gilbert in reviewing their business and preparing it via carbon reduction for the challenges of the coming decade, which means our clients, and their customers see the benefits.
By the way the vehicle livery was designed by our in-house team - well done guys!

Fresh Thinking for Charities

2008-07-08T13:35:00.004+01:00

For over 65 years Lamport Gilbert have been delivering print to the UK’s major charities. Certainly , we’ve learnt a lot in that time about how charities work and how we can deliver best value to them, but we are always willing to listen and learn.
We run regular “Print Appreciation” courses, delivered by our senior account manager Bob Sym who has worked with charities for many years, assisted by specialists from throughout the business.
We deliver in 1 day a practical understanding of Graphic Design, Pre-press, papers, impositions, artwork preparation, proof–reading, printing (including colour management) and binding.
It always happen thaton these days we learn more about how charities operate and plan for the future, and its always fascinating the detail that they think through and then deliver to people throughout the world.
We recently had such a day at our Reading plant when three people from St John Ambulance joined us, it was hard work but we had some fun as well so I hope they went away thinking it was a worthwhile use of their time, we certainly thought our time was well spent.
Bob or I would always be pleased to hear from any UK charity that would be interested in talking to us and perhaps joining us in a day where we can all learn from one another, look forward to hearing from you.
If you are a regular reader of “Third Sector” magazine then you may have seen our advert in the Directory section, we know a lot of people in the sector read this mag if for no other reason than the jobs section, next time you read it take a second to look us up and maybe call Bob Sym or myself if you think we can help.

Image is Everything...

2008-06-27T13:54:00.007+01:00

Lamport Gilbert have been recently undertaking a PR and Advertising campaign throughout the Thames Valley and in the process of looking at possible opportunities, we were introduced to the Newbury Weekly News.
They are about to run a special on best environmental practise and as this fits very well with our environmental credentials we met with Morgan pr from Hungerford who are writing the story for the paper.
In business your image is everything – so says the opening statement on the Morgan pr website and when it comes to achieving the very best profile they offer a bespoke service that can make a difference to any company’s image.
I am looking forward to seeing the story they write because the empathy they displayed at our meeting gave me confidence that they understood our situation and would be able to write our story in an interesting and authoritative way.
It was also good to meet a brother blogger! Even if his writing is far superior to mine.
We are pleased to link with the Morgan pr blog especially as it’s the first company we have linked to.

Point of Sale and Creepy Crawlies

2008-06-26T09:40:00.004+01:00

Last November Lamport Gilbert designed and produced a promotion for Esso service stations based around the theme of Halloween.
Our brief was to link into the Halloween theme to promote a range of take away snacks and drinks, the success of this promotion has led the client to design and produce its latest promotion which launches soon.
The skills needed to design this sort of promotion and deliver the point of sale items to each service station around the UK fits very well with the work we do for Whitbread Breweries with its Brewers Fare, Beefeater, Costa Coffee and Premier Inns for whom we have handled logistics over many years.

Making Print Greener -The Lamport Gilbert Way

2008-06-25T15:44:00.001+01:00

At Lamport Gilbert we believe we have a responsibility to protect the environment while continuing to supply the high levels of customer satisfaction that have become synonymous with our name.

As a print supplier to the marketing industry, major charities and Associations we have made huge investments to give our clients superb quality while reducing the effect we have on the environment.

· The use of Vegetable-based inks, reducing the chemicals used in the manufacture of these and reducing the amount of chemicals needed to clean the presses.
· Reducing the amounts of Isopropyl Alcohols (IPA’S) we use by 50%.
· Using papers from Forestry Stewardship Council approved suppliers, and Programme for Endorsement Forestry Certification (PEFC) both programmes are Government backed to ensure paper are sourced from sustainable forests. See http://http://www.whyfsc.com/
· Reduction in land fill waste by 62%, reduction of energy consumption and reductions in water usage have all been achieved and we continually look to go further in all these areas.
· Increase by 51% of all materials that are recycled.
· Us e of Cello-Green a new Laminate that is bio-degradable in landfill.
· We work to ISO 1400 , an environmental standard awarded to limited numbers of printers in the UK so far. See http://www.british-accreditation.co.uk

What does this mean for our Customers?

· First and Foremost it means when you are asked about the environmental policy of your suppliers you can answer with confidence that you are using one of the leading printers in the country for its environmental policies.
· You can ask our staff to ensure you always get the most effective production methods and be assured you will get the best advice, because we have already learnt more about the ways to reduce our effect on the environment than many other similar companies.
· You can be sure the way we produce your material will enhance your reputation with your colleagues/customers and shareholders.
· Use of Cello-Green means for the first time a laminated item can be put to landfill with the knowledge it will bio-degrade.
· The use of some recycled papers can produce problems of quality; we are aware of these and can advise our customers of the best methods to avoid the majority of these.

To get the best advice go to http://www.lamportgilbert.co.uk/