MTM Products (I.S.P.P) Limited

MTM Products partners with CarbonQuota to accelerate their sustainability journey

MTM Products (I.S.P.P) Limited — 13/09/2023

MTM Products, one of the leading UK industrial graphics suppliers, proudly announces its strategic partnership with CarbonQuota, a print and packaging carbon measurement and reduction specialist. The partnership reflects MTM's firm commitment to delivering a more energy-efficient and carbon-reduced operation. Catering to a diverse range of industries, MTM supplies original equipment manufacturers in the UK and EU, with a particular focus on automotive, electrical and electronic, rail, medical, construction, and machinery equipment sectors.

The company's industry-specific stock management systems, including lineside stocking, buffer stocks, and call-off orders, ensure seamless and efficient supply chain operations for its esteemed clientele. The company already operates to recognized industry standards, including BS, ISO, and UL/ANSI, and holds ISO9001/14001 certifications.

Mark Niblett, Managing Director, MTM Products

"We take pride in our technical and applications engineering expertise, the expertise and proficiency of our teams, competitive pricing, and our signature MTM Express quick turnaround service," commented Mark Niblett, Managing Director of MTM Products. "It is now becoming increasingly important to our clients to also understand our environmental impact. Our partnership with CarbonQuota signifies our commitment to decarbonise as much as possible by 2030. This not only benefits the environment but also brings with it many other advantages for MTM Products Ltd, including competitive differentiation.“

MTM Products engaged CarbonQuota to accelerate its carbon reduction efforts, aligning with the 2030 government directive and rising client demands for environmentally conscious practices. CarbonQuota's expertise in carbon management and granular three-step approach provided MTM with a clear roadmap to establish baselines, set objectives, and execute their decarbonisation plans.

One of the primary goals of this partnership was to demonstrate MTM's commitment to delivering measurable carbon footprint reduction results. Independent assessment by CarbonQuota has confirmed the accuracy, completeness, and consistency of MTM's energy use and carbon footprint data. As a result of their implemented carbon reduction strategies, MTM has successfully decreased its operational carbon footprint by an impressive 34 tonnes of CO2e over the past year.

Dominic Harris, Co-Founder, CarbonQuota

Looking forward, MTM Products is determined to continue reducing its carbon emissions,furthering environmental responsibility, and setting new benchmarks for lower carbon manufacturing practices. By partnering with CarbonQuota, MTM is poised to drive positive change within its business and beyond.

MTM would like to wish everyone a Royally happy bank holiday weekend.

MTM Products (I.S.P.P) Limited — 31/05/2022

MTM would like to wish everyone a Royally happy bank holiday weekend.

This year is the Queens 70th Year on the throne and to mark the occasion the UK will be enjoying a 4 day weekend from Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th June.

#Jubilee #Bankholiday #Celebrations #Congratulations

MTM welcomes a new addition to the digital print family.

MTM Products (I.S.P.P) Limited — 13/10/2022

New addition to the MTM Products (I.S.P.P.) Limited work force. The Roland DG (UK) Ltd VG3 540 soon to be earning its keep ?

Employee Announcement - Colin Harris

MTM Products (I.S.P.P) Limited — 31/05/2022

We are proud to announce that our very own Colin Harris will take of the role of Manufacturing Manager, responsible for the day to day running of both manufacturing locations. The role will be key to maintaining our high standards and business model as well as supporting future expansion plans.

Colin brings a wealth of experience to the role. And progressing in this way is a natural development and we’re very confident of his skills base, ability, and personality.

Congratulations Colin.

#promotion #management #leader #ukmanufacturing #peoplemakethedifference

Photoluminescent - Reflective

MTM Products (I.S.P.P) Limited — 21/02/2022

Photoluminescent Labels & Signs

MTM manufacture Photoluminescent versions of many labels and signs which need to be seen for a reasonable period of time if the power fails in a building whether in an emergency situation or not. In many circumstances this provides an economical alternative to battery backup systems for illumination.

Typical applications are:

Emergency Exit Signage
Fire Extinguisher Instruction/Application Labels
Nurse Call Systems

We have a range of Photoluminescent materials which meet the most stringent standards and can also print a Photoluminescent layer on graphic overlays including those with embossed buttons.

Retro Reflective Signs

Retro reflective materials are used in many applications where people or vehicles need to be easily seen by other vehicles at night.
Although primarily used as a safety aid, they can also be used to promote a brand or model.

Typical MTM products are:

Tail Lift Flags with Retro Reflective Strips and Customised Logos
Chevrons to apply to the back of Vehicles or Construction Equipment
Hazard Warning Labels
Logo Labels

It doesn’t matter whether you want a single label or thousands; MTM are the Solutions Provider.

If you would like a sample of either a Photoluminescent or Retro Reflective Label or Sign we will rebate you for the cost of the sample if you purchase goods from this range valued at £100 or more within a month of receipt.

For more details contact MTM on 01246 450228, through our website www.mtmproducts.co.uk or e-mail enquiries@mtmproducts.co.uk

What is a hazard severity panel?

MTM Products (I.S.P.P) Limited — 11/02/2022

According to International Standard ISO3864-2:2016, if the level of hazard severity is to be indicated, a hazard severity panel shall be added to the top of the combination or multiple product safety label. The hazard severity panels are rectangular in shape and contain the following elements:

The general warning sign (W001 specified in ISO7010, Black exclamation mark and triangle on yellow background)
The hazard severity panel colour
The signal word e.g. DANGER, which is optional

When a signal word is used, it is placed to the right of the general warning sign and, together, centred in the hazard severity panel. When a signal word is not used, the general warning sign is centred in the hazard severity panel. Signal words are in upper case and bold font.

The general warning sign must be black on yellow.

Choosing the right signal word to match risk level

Employee Appreciation Awards

MTM Products (I.S.P.P) Limited — 20/04/2023

It’s that time of the year where we show our amazing team members appreciation for going Above & Beyond.
Our winners this quarter are Michael Geary, Andrew Blackbourn, Gill Boler & Martin Carline.

Your dedication and hard work for MTM Products (I.S.P.P.) Limited is greatly appreciated.

Congratulations #team #work #onemtm #onemtm

National Manufacturing Day 7 July 2022

MTM Products (I.S.P.P) Limited — 31/05/2022

We are taking part in National Manufacturing Day 7 July 2022, opening our doors to future makers to learn about the exciting opportunities available in our thriving sector.

Contact us at: enquiries@mtmproducts.co.uk to book a visit.

#NMD | #backingmanufacturing

MTM is supporting Marie Curie's Day of Reflection.

MTM Products (I.S.P.P) Limited — 23/03/2022

MTM is supporting Marie Curie's Day of Reflection.

The last couple of years have been difficult for all of us and it’s important that we take time to grieve and remember the family, friends, neighbours and colleagues we’ve lost during the pandemic.

MTM is pleased to support @mariecurie on this National Day of Reflection.

#mariecurie #dayofreflection

Stick with us...

MTM Products (I.S.P.P) Limited — 19/03/2018

Following on from my visit to the equipment manufacturer with a colour match issue I recently visited a customer looking to find a solution to his vinyl labels adhering inconsistently and having problems with wash-down causing labels to start to peel away from the material surface.

As ever it seems that the simple questions are the ones to begin the conversation.

Are you having problems applying the labels all the time, all year around and have you specified any changes to the material the labels are applied to were my first questions?

As I started to delve a little deeper into the areas of concern we found that there were 2 distinct areas to consider.

The first area that came into view was the design of the label itself. A rectangular safety label, manufactured to their drawing with square cut corners.

My first advice was to update the drawing to a specification that included a radius on the corners. Very simple but a radius to the corner is a great way to stop labels lifting during wash-down and to deter users picking at the corners of the label in an idle moment.

Now to the second question of the general adhesion of the labels, digging deeper it seems that the peeling had only started in the last 3 months, across the board and however carefully applied lifting occurred.

OK, now the question was asked by the customer have you changed your adhesive specification?

A quick call to the team back at base confirmed that no changes had been made.

Next question from me was, have you made any changes to the finish of the body of the machine. Well no, not really, er um, we did change the powder coat specification to a water based version for environmental reasons.

It transpires that the changes to powder coat formulation removing the solvents has changed the surface properties of the material, which in turn affects the adhesion of the labels.

Having checked back on the specification of the powder coat, upgrading the adhesive specification to match could solve this problem.

New samples were produced and fitted and testing proved that the adhesion is good eliminating the areas of concern on wash-down.

It just goes to show its the simple communication flow that is so important, the small detail is often overlooked and is always worth looking a little more closely into.

Now I hear you ask, nearing 100% success rate. Yes, always bear in mind the ambient temperature of both the storage areas for your label stock and the temperature of the surface the label is applied to.

The customer did occasionally store the label stock in a cold stores area and had recently been affixing labels to a steel chassis in temperatures below 2 degrees C its worth remembering that to get good adhesion, the temperature of the label and the surface to which it is being affixed should be a minimum of 10°C with the application temperature being an entirely thing than the range of temperature that the label will withstand in service.

The result a consistent product, a happy customer and repeat business for MTM.

50 Shades of Green

MTM Products (I.S.P.P) Limited — 19/03/2018

As a Technical Sales Manager, I meet customers in a wide range of industries with a wide range of challenges.

Having said that, the common, simple issues I find are always the best areas to begin the conversation with a new customer.

Recently I visited a new customer, a volume user in the machinery OEM market sector. In recent months, the supply of their vinyl logos had been split over several suppliers. On walking the factory floor, I noticed that over a range of models the main green logo had four different styles.

On closer inspection, the main design was the same on all models but there were four distinctly different shades of green.

When I looked deeper into this problem with the engineers it came out in conversation that the different engineers on each model specified a different grade of vinyl, some opting for a 5 year life material and others a 7 year life option. Looking carefully at my sample swatches for the vinyl selected there were 2 options of green to choose from which were close to the companys logo corporate colour. The colour and material were not fully specified on the drawings, allowing the supplier to select his own version of the logo colour thus at least 4 options and miss-match across the range.

My first job was to specify the required material life with the engineer in agreement with the buying team, then to decide with them on the choice of green from the 2 readily available. The colour and material reference is now specified on all the drawings for all models across the range.

This simple action of asking the question and specifying the preferred option has not only saved time from our production point of view, but has given the customers products a corporate identity and a consistent finish.

Having looked at the greens used I noticed there was a range of blues used on the safety labels.. another fix for another day, but at least the customer is now thinking about matching colours and vinyl life as well as the ease of ordering when you know the colours, style and durability are agreed.

In Manufacturing, Customers Don’t Always Know What They Want

MTM Products (I.S.P.P) Limited — 17/04/2018

In Manufacturing, Customers Dont Always Know What They Want

We recently worked with a new customer looking to source large decals for Off Highway equipment.

They wanted large decals, with blocks of colour and areas cut out to pick up on the painted surface underneath. In terms of colour, they had some specific RAL / Pantone references to work with.

They came to us for help as theyd had previous issues with decals falling off their equipment and consistency of colour. As we have a track record of success when it comes to colour consistency, and as we know how to make our labels and decals last longer, they certainly came to the right place.

Where Had Things Gone Wrong Before?

Our first job was to find out just why the customers previous decals had failed them. So we took the time to establish the type of surface and finish the labels were applied to. Was it paint or powder coat? Had this ever changed? And in what sort of temperatures were they applied?

We found theyd been applied to a painted finish, that this had not changed, and that theyd been applied in temperatures in excess of 15°C.

Then we asked them what type of vinyl theyd used. It turned out to be a budget vinyl that had been printed to an RAL colour code and applied to heavy duty machinery used off highway.

We Can Do Better Than That

Initially the customer insisted on a like-for-like vinyl and process, as the colour used in their livery was important to them. This would, of course, effectively guarantee that theyd eventually start to see the same problems again.

We explained that while surface printing onto a white budget vinyl would look great initially, it would only fade after two or more years exposure to direct sunlight - particularly when it comes to red, orange or yellow.

On top of this, the flexibility and adhesive strength of self-adhesive vinyl varies widely. It is important to select the correct vinyl depending on the service life of the equipment, the environment in which it is used, and the finish of the surface to which the decals are being applied.

The Perfect Vinyl for the Job

As wed taken the time to understand the customers specific needs, we were able to recommend the perfect solution.

We recommended UV-stable coloured CAD vinyl with a 7-year life, with the pigment colour throughout the whole depth of the material. This would ensure that there would be no colour fading within the specified 7 year life of the material, and possibly for much longer. As wed previously used this grade of material in a very similar application, we knew it would perform well.

The customer had reservations. If the colour of the CAD vinyl was not exactly the same as the ink colour reference theyd previously used, then surely it would be more expensive?

We reminded the customer that although the printed colour might start as a slightly better match to the RAL colour, it would fade in time. On the other hand, the colour of the CAD vinyl would remain consistent over the life of the equipment. If it were as close as possible to the specified RAL colour, and if it cost about the same overall, surely this would be the better option?

So our recommended yellow CAD vinyl decal is now on test for adhesion, performance at high and low temperatures AND colour match all ready to change the old outdated spec.

Lessons Learned Customers Dont Always Know What They Want

There is print vinyl which is fine for short-term outdoor applications. There is pre-coloured CAD vinyl which is great for longer-term outdoor applications. Both have their place. But if youre printing in yellow for long-term outdoor applications, then long-life CAD vinyl is by far the better solution.

So what can we learn from all this?

If youre a manufacturer, its not always a good idea to blindly follow your customers instructions. Take the time to ask questions to establish their specific needs. Rather than offering them more of the same, explore their specifications, and offer sensible alternatives that will meet their needs for longer.

Plans, Kits and Prototypes

MTM Products (I.S.P.P) Limited — 03/04/2018

Plans, Kits and Prototypes - We're Working on Something Big!

We are currently working on a top secret design that will revolutionise the industry it will potentially serve.

It's so top secret we cant disclose the product or the manufacturer!

Exciting stuff, but we need to keep focused.

No matter how potentially huge our innovations could prove, it's vital that we don't forget the basics. Even though we're thinking on a potentially gamechanging-level here, there's still a few essential elements to bear in mind, and they're the same factors we have to consider for everything we produce: Product life, colour, size, and product mix.

This involves asking the same questions we need to ask ourselves and our clients for every project we manage:

Will the design need to conform to one or more international standards?

What sort of materials will be required? Just the one, or will it be a mix of vinyl cut decals, printed labels and metal serial plates? All of this will, of course, shape the entire production process.

Then we need to put all of our designs together as a kit per machine. Every part will have its own unique part number, as will the entire kit. So to ensure quality, consistency and continuity, its essential to plan ahead.

After this its time to run the first prototype kits. Then its time to apply, test and feedback to ensure that things work like we want them to.

Then theres the ongoing processes. Were constantly honing the design, size, and adhesive types, but throughout we need to have an approved design on which we can work with the purchasing team. As were also working with them on batch sizes and on overall usage, its important that we think on our feet while planning ahead at all times.

All of this might sound complicated, and it is. But that doesnt make it impossible, or even difficult.

Weve put the work into our pre-production process, so it doesnt take much for us to be ready for our first production. Then its simply a case of ramping up from there, knowing the basics are in place and the product is well designed and tested.

Long-story short no matter how big and exciting things get, and no matter how agile our approach is, everything works because some things always stay the same.

Which is exactly the way we like it!