12 February 2015

Environment Minister visits KCS Print, Launceston

KCS Trade Print welcomed North Cornwall MP Dan Rogerson to their site at Launceston to discuss environmental sustainability of print and new jobs being created this week. Rogerson is Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and rural affairs and is the Minister responsible for water, resource and environmental management and forestry.

BPIF (British Printing Industry Federation) Business Development Manager Daniel Godden also attended. He said, "It's great to hear the KCS success story and to hear of further investment in the form of inkjet heads for use in ecommerce forms."

Employing 26 staff KCS manufacture ecommerce forms used as despatch/returns forms by internet shops. The inkjet investment will provide barcodes on these forms.
Managing Director Terrye Teverson, is a member of the BPIF's Government and Industry Committee. She was keen to point out to the Minister that paper and print were sustainable. She stated, "It is a myth that paper has bad environmental impacts. 90% of deforestation in the world is caused by unsustainable agricultural practices. There are also thousands of jobs in the print and related industries from print management companies to the paper and equipment manufacturers - it's not just the printers themselves that provide the jobs."

Terrye reported on the work done by Twosides in outlining the myths surrounding print.

The forests in Europe have increased in size over the last 20 years. Paper is made from renewable resources, and produced by an environmentally conscious industry whose future depends on planting more trees than it consumes.

Terrye continued, "Print is vital. Elderly people prefer it. It is trusted as a way to communicate and it can be kept to one side to look at. Computers do use energy. We also know that around 7 million people in the UK have never been on line. Print and Paper are not bad for the environment. You have to look at the whole supply chain from manufacture of hardware to the disposal of electronic waste which is increasing year on year."

MP Dan Rogerson commented, "It's great to see KCS's continued success and further investment in inkjet heads for developing their product. I am pleased see the apprentices developing skills in my constituency with this forward -thinking company."

KCS have continued to grow since moving into their carbon neutral custom built factory in 2005. Under the BPIF's apprenticeship scheme three apprentices are training providing long term jobs in the community. Terrye stated, "There are no zero hour contracts here. We believe in offering our staff long term commitment, training and security. This gives our company great stability. That can only be good for our customers and the quality of the goods we supply."