A turning point for the flexo industry arrived at drupa 2024, when we unveiled ModularMount.

ModularMount is a scalable platform that meets printers where they are today and prepares them for the future. From manual to fully automatic options – including being backwardly compatible from auto-to-manual operation – ModularMount is the culmination of decades of engineering expertise channelled into a single, customer-driven vision.

We have a reputation for paying close attention to what its customers actually needed. The message was consistent: flexibility, without having to sacrifice capability.

Previously, some machines offered a straightforward path to greater automation while others left operators with no choice but a full replacement when requirements changed.

ModularMount changes that equation entirely. The range spans five systems, each representing a step up in functionality and automation sophistication. Crucially, however, the progression is not simply a one-way ladder.

“We decided to give customers a staged approach,” explains Managing Director David Muncaster. “Going straight to a fully automated plate mounter might not be the right move at this moment, but you might well need that capability in the future.

“With ModularMount, if a customer’s work mix shifts or they face staffing challenges, the mounter can be adapted simply by adding automation as a pre-designed bolt-on.”

The underlying philosophy is choice without compromise.

This is why ModularMount has been deliberately configured with the option to run in semi-automatic or manual modes too. That provides extra flexibility for specialist print jobs, and provides support where operators need more time to embrace full automation at their own pace.

Where some automated systems demand full engagement or fail to function effectively at all, ModularMount is designed to operate across any mode, whether fully automated, semi-automated, or entirely manual. This is depending on what the job or the converting business requires at that given moment.

Looking ahead, David sees automation playing an ever-greater role across the industry. “In terms of repeatability, automation is clearly the direction of travel although there remains a place for manual and semi-automated processes.

“The more automation you introduce, the more the operator’s skillset evolves. People worry that automation is removing people or skills from the industry, when in reality it often creates more highly skilled roles, just in different parts of a printing business.”

This creates a pathway for existing staff with legacy skillsets to be successfully redeployed elsewhere as well as the next generation of flexo talent to be recruited. Younger generations are more tech-savvy and expect a level of technological sophistication in the workplace. Automation of once heavily manual processes support this.

We actively invest in the next generation of talent through an apprenticeship programme that reflects the company’s deep-rooted, family-led culture.

Our business is now in its third generation of family involvement: founder John Heaford was followed by his daughter Sally-Anne, who remains chair, and his son Nigel, now retired. Nigel’s son Gwilym has completed his apprenticeship within the business and now serves as the Heaford gravure specialist.

The sense of continuity is embodied in the machinery itself. We continue to service equipment that our founder John sold and worked on over 40 years ago. It is a quiet but powerful testament to the enduring quality of both our people and our technology.

Discover more about our flexo plate mounting solutions here