Merseyside brand marketing specialist Wild Thang invests £250,000 in new hi-tech equipment at its Bootle production facility. Tony McDonough Reports
Wild Thang is investing £250,000 in new machinery for its Bootle plant as it increases capacity to meet growing demand from both UK and overseas customers.
Wild Thang is located close to the River Mersey and produces a wide range of products, such as t-shirts. pens, baseball hats, mugs. coasters. bags, and banners.
Blue-chip clients include Vimto, SkyBet, McDonald’s, Princes Foods, LJMU and Paddy Power. It also works for Premier League teams such as Liverpool and Everton.
Despite seeing a downturn during the pandemic the firm invested more than £2m in an upgrade of its headquarters. In the last year it has also opened a base in the Republic of Ireland and headcount has grown by around 25% – with more jobs on the way.
Now, the company is entering a brand new stage of expansion. LBN announced earlier in the year how Wild Thang had installed solar panels to its roof. Now it is investing a further £250,000 in the latest machinery to increase production capacity and save energy.
Managing director Andrew Dwerryhouse, who founded the business with a grant from the Princes Trust, said: “At Wild Thang, we have always been committed to pushing boundaries and exceeding expectations in the world of printing and branding.
“So it is with great excitement and pride that we announce our significant investment in new machinery, solidifying our position as one of the biggest and best manufacturing hubs in the UK if not the world.
“In 2023, we are investing approximately £250,000 to enhance our capacity and so our team can embrace the latest innovative branding techniques, which will elevate us to new branding heights.”
A V8 DTF machine is included in the new kit, along with an industrial finishing system. Inkjets are used to print images on film directly, creating textile transfers of industrial retail quality that can be heat-sealed to garments or fabrics.
Print speeds up to 24 square meters per hour are possible. Wild Thang is able to offer customers faster turnaround time.
“It really places us at the cutting edge of the industry meaning we are able to brand on any type of apparel with a huge variety of branding methods,” added Andrew.
Wild Thang also purchased three new embroidery machines. The machines are expected to increase embroidery capacity, and in particular will allow the business to meet growing demands for branded clothing.
A further two pneumatic programmable industrial heat presses are also being added. This investment expands the capacity of production for heat seals which have seen a significant growth in demand.
Wild Thang acquired a second forklift as well as a vehicle that can pick up high level orders to complete the upgrade. The firm has added more warehouse space, which offers increased safety and efficiency.
Andrew said: “Our commitment to sustainability is another important aspect of our investment. DTF printers like the V8 DTF use water-based eco-friendly inks to prevent excessive ink flow.
“And many models feature innovative features such as powder shakers or upgraded suction systems, reducing waste and promoting a greener approach to printing.
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Wild Thang continues to invest in our employees, technologies, software, headquarters, and, of course, the branding machine.
“We know that with continued investment, we can continue to push the boundaries the world class Wild Thang way.”