The role of Graphic Designer is to assess and prep electronic design files for digital pre-press work and the production of printing plates, ensuring maximum continuity, the highest quality and efficiency of operation.

100% desk based.

Detailed responsibilities

* To reconcile all electronic design files with customers expectations, and press production
* To be responsible for accurate and timely issue and chasing of artwork approvals to our
customers
* To be responsible for accurate and timely issue of works orders to our print team
* To submit timely design file to plate makers every day
* To solve problems by liasing with customers and suppliers as required
* To resolve all internal and external design queries.
* To support the Sales Team with technical queries when required
* Other tasks to support the business plan as and when required

For full details, please view the full job description

To apply please email (preferred) or post your CV to the Sales Team Leader – Elaine Jefferson at elaine.jefferson@mercianlabels.com as soon as possible. Informal discussions by phone are welcome on 01543 431 079.

Harveer Sahni, MD of the Indian Labelling company Weldon Celloplast has launched his new blog. Its in its early days, but I hope that the blogosphere will be enhanced by this
labelling superpower from the Indian sub continent – good luck Harveer!

first chilli crop of 2010

The fist chill cropping of 2010 was on Saturday, now all safely picked away in jars ready for the winter curries. Lots to come from the initial plants!

The Mercian Labels' Sales team - (Left to right - Judy, Charlie, Andy, Marina, Richard, Elaine)

Sometimes its good to put a name to a face – so here are our amazing sales team at Mercian Labels!

From left to right we have Judy (Sales Coordinator), Charlie [Charlotte] (Key Account Manager), Andy (Sales Coordinator), Marina (Export Sales Coordinator), Richard (Sales Assistant) and Elaine (Sales Manager).

Suggestions welcome in the comments box of who you think is the office “character”…

the "security label" in place

We recently bought a Three MIFI unit for remote web access, which came packaged above with a so called “tamper evident” label saying “I’m secure. Check contents if seal broken or VOID displayed”. Ummm.

the seal removed intact

well it took seconds using a simple technique to remove.

and reapplied again

and here is is reapplied.  You’d have to have a very careful eye to see any change.  In fact I rushed this a bit and could have done a better job  if I’d have had my “tools” in the office at the time.

a Label Lock applied

Contrast this product with our stock Label Lock product – OK, its a bit big for this application, but we do customise them on request.

a Label Lock removed leaving a permanent change on the box AND the label

And a Label Lock removed, using the same technique which removed the white “security ” label above.  Notice any difference?  I think I know which one does the job it is supposed to, and which one does not.  If you need to secure a box from pilfering, then we recommend you use a product upto the job – not one that is just “all talk”.

This came with Microsoft Windows Vista pre-loaded, but being the Open Source advocates we are here at Mercian Labels, I bought this laptop with the mind to install Ubuntu 10.04 right away.

Whilst installing Ubuntu 10.04 was easy, a few issues arose with getting the wireless working with the chipset, but thats another story; but after installing Ubuntu, I decided to try my luck at getting a refund from Dell for Windows.

I had read previous articles outlining a few steps in order to try and get a refund on Windows, so this is what I did.

Even though I purchases this through one of Amazon’s third party sellers, I thought it was best to contact them first.

I went through the process of contacting customer services (Amazon > Help, Click How do I contact customer service?, Login, Click E-Mail and then Put in order number, then select Issue: Return and Refunds, and then I sent the following email:

SENT On: 28/07/2010 10:30am

To Whom this may concern.

I recently purchased a Dell laptop from yourselves, order number ############.

I do not agree to the terms of the Dell Software Licensing Agreement or the Microsoft Windows End User License Agreement.

I confirm that I have not used any of the software on the laptop, nor booted the laptop up into Windows, and have deleted all preloaded or embedded software from my Dell Laptop.

How will you refund the cost of the Microsoft Windows Vista software? I note that Windows Vista Home Premium retails at £151.95, which means a total refund of £151.95 is due.

Kind Regards
Rich

Within 19 minutes of sending the email, I got a response from Amazon, which was prompt, stating:

Response: 10:49 28/07/2010
Dear Customer

Thank you for contacting Amazon.co.uk.

After looking into your enquiry, I can see that you have placed this order ############## with one of our registered third party seller “######”.

I am sorry to learn that you are not happy with the license agreement. In a case like this, we do ask that you first contact the seller to explain the situation and to make appropriate arrangements.

To contact your seller just click the Your Account link on the top right of Amazon.co.uk, and click the Your Orders button. Next select the order from the options Orders Listed by Date.

Then locate the relevant order number on the left of the screen. You will also see an image of the item(s) in your order so as to identify it correctly.

Once located, look for the yellow button to the right of your screen reading Contact Seller.

For more information on communicating with Marketplace sellers, you can visit this link:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=3149541

I hope that this issue will be resolved to your satisfaction

Thank you for your understanding and for shopping at Amazon.co.uk Marketplace.

I have sent the exact same email I originally sent to Amazon, to the third party seller, and will update this post as and when I receive any response.

GRAB MY BALLS

This label is destined for a well known high street food outlet and was spotted on the back of the ID badge of a well known sales professional at the factory last week…  we do sometimes get asked to manufacture some unusual designs!

getting ready for the off!

Cpt Ed Pawsey of the 2nd Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment recently contacted us in their bid to raise money for Help for Heroes , the charity that helps to support wounded UK service men and women.  Ed and his colleagues are doing the Help for Heroes European Rally and have had some good local publicity.  This is what they say on their website

Team Green Howard has secured a place on the Help for Heroes European Rally 2010.  This rally as you may have read consists of a monster 1650 mile drive starting on Salisbury Plain crossing Normandy and ending at Hitler’s ‘Eagles Nest’ in Berchtesgaden, Austria whilst traversing 6 countries.  This rally follows the route of the well known TV series ‘Band of Brothers’ and is part road/off road competition whilst visiting specific historical locations.  All in order to raise funds for the Help for Heroes charity.

The Team consists of Ed Pawsey, Will Pawsey and James Kelly.  Both Ed and James are Captains in the Army.  Ed’s in the 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment (the Green Howards).  James is a Captain in the Royal Engineers and is a Bomb Disposal Officer.  Will is a student studying Criminology at Nottingham University and is set to join the Poice Force.  All three of us have close links to friends who have been injured or killed in Afghanistan and make this trip and raise funds in memory of them. Help for Heroes is at the front of our mind for obvious reasons and without this charity and your generous donations our many injured service men and women would not have the lengthy process of rehabilitation your fundraising has begun to provide.  Without this rehabilitation it would be near impossible to give these Heroes the ability to rebuild their lives and face a positive future.

Please give what you can as every little helps.  ALL money raised goes to the charity and not funding the event or team.  It may take 5 minutes to register but 5 minutes now is a future better for all.

Ed is asking for any donations on his Just Giving website, so please contribute anything you can to this very worth cause.

the cover of the new publication

A new magazine landed on my desk yesterday, “Digital Labels and Packaging Magazine“.  I scanned it this morning and fund it to be a reasonable summary of the state of the digital labelling machinery marketplace, with big adverts and plugs from all the major players apart from Epson.  I’d recommend this as a one off read, but as so little happens in this arena outside of the big shows, I’m struggling to see what fresh content is going to arrive with each new edition every quarter.  Time will tell I guess!