Ink Team Leader

Saica Flex; Wigan; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading flexible packaging company in Wigan is seeking an Ink Technician to ensure high-quality ink production and manage an ink team. This role involves maintaining safety and quality standards while collaborating with multiple departments. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in ink formulation and possess a forklift truck licence. The company offers a friendly atmosphere, progression opportunities, and various employee benefits.

Benefits

Friendly atmosphere

Holiday entitlement of 25 days plus Bank Holidays

Company Sick Pay Scheme

Employee of the Month Award

Refer a Friend Scheme

Cycle to Work Scheme

Free Tea / Coffee

Qualifications

• Experience with ink formulation and colour matching.
• Knowledge of production health and safety standards.
• Ability to operate machinery and quality control processes.

Responsibilities

• Ensure quality of inks and maintain standards.
• Lead and support the ink team to meet production targets.
• Collaborate across departments for production flow.

Skills

Forklift Truck licence

X-rite equipment knowledge

Colour theory and matching

Continuous improvement techniques

Health, safety and environmental standards

Tools

Rexson system software

eXact spectro

Job description

Company description

Saica Group offers sustainable paper solutions for the manufacture of corrugated board and flexible packaging, promoting circularity in waste management. With more than 12,000 employees and a presence in 11 countries (Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Turkey, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, and the United States), Saica Group has four business lines : the production of recycled paper for corrugated cardboard (Saica Paper), waste management and environmental services (Saica Natur), the production of corrugated board packaging (Saica Pack), and flexible packaging (Saica Flex).

Job description

At Saica Group, we are more than an organisation; we are a community committed to driving sustainable paper solutions for corrugated board and packaging while championing circularity in waste management. With over 10000 colleagues in 11 countries, our rich history spanning 80 years and our unwavering dedication to our mission and values, we invite you to be part of a journey that leaves a lasting impact.

Our Flex division produces a range of flexible plastic films, with our site in Wigan manufacturing products for major food retailers and suppliers.

We are now seeking a motivated candidate to join our team and build a career in the print industry.

Sustainability at Saica begins with our values – we care, we value and we challenge.

Why Choose Us : By joining the Saica Group, you are choosing more than a job – you will collaborate with like-minded individuals to shape a sustainable future, making a meaningful contribution to our world.

Join Us Today and Shape Tomorrow's Sustainable Solutions with the Saica Group.

About the role

We are offering an exciting opportunity for an Ink Technician to join our team.

You will be responsible for ensuring that high quality of inks within the department are made and maintained and that your role is conducted in a safe and controlled manner in line with the required standards and operating procedures. You will lead and support the ink team to achieve production and quality objectives, while understanding customer requirements for colour specifications and ensuring they are met to the highest possible standard. You will be responsible for understanding the customer requirements for colour specification and ensuring that they are met to the highest possible standard.

Accountabilities

• Operate in line with site health and safety, environmental and quality standards including BRC, ISO & A2 environmental.
• Lead, support, and coordinate the ink team to achieve production and quality targets.
• Provide training, guidance, and performance feedback to team members.
• Deputise for the in-plant ink supplier contractor, and manage ink and solvent stock levels, including ordering as required.
• Key user for SAP within the Ink department
• Create and store on Rexson system software, formulations , design data and jod data.
• Understand customer requirements for colour specifications and ensure they are met to the highest possible standard.
• Collaborate with other departments (such as printing, quality, and planning) to ensure efficient production flow and colour consistency.
• Make and prepare all inks for production right first time to known data standards and anilox strengths. Identify any ink that has been used and returned ready for subsequent runs. Ensure that your own dispensing key is used at all times.
• Ensure shift ink technicians complete all job sheets and qc checks and that all traceability and labelling of products is recorded.
• Maintain a clean, safe working environment, ensuring that all spills are logged and cleaned immediately.
• Operate processes in line with lean manufacturing techniques including SMED and the 5S principles
• Maximise the use of press returns by ensuring that press returns are always used before virgin ink. Manage activity via the IFS6 programme, ensuring there is enough ink to complete an order, minimising top up requirements to maximise production time.
• Ensure there is sufficient ink supply for a minimum of 24 hours and up to 36 hours . As the production plan is subject to change, ensure the 24 hour threshold is not breached.
• Make full use of the eXact spectro, IFS6 and IQC, to reduce press downtime to a minimum.
• Daily press return management control .Ensure no returns are left at shift end and all are inks have been drawn down and logged back into the system by the shift ink technicians.
• Assist the Printers on press should any minor adjustments be required, making any changes to the system recipe as required . Amend Process controls and create new ink standards with help from Print Lead hands / Process engineer / print process manager.
• Assist when needed in maintaining the distillation plant and optimise waste inks and solvent, ensuring waste generated is minimised
• Drive continuous improvement in ink processes, colour matching, and quality control.
• The role may require occasional cover during periods of absence.

Skills and Attributes

• Forklift Truck licence essential (training provided).
• X-rite equipment trained and Rexson system software trained to a high level.
• Colour theory, colour matching and formulation knowledge.
• Knowledge of density and dot gain and opacity.
• Good understanding of continuous improvement techniques, e.g. lean & 5S
• Exposure to quality, health, safety and environmental standards and practices within a production setting

What do we offer?

• Friendly atmosphere
• Progression
• Employee of the Month Award (monthly and annually)
• Holiday entitlement 25 days plus Bank Holidays
• Company Sick Pay Scheme (available after 12 months of continuous service)
• Refer a Friend Scheme of £500
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Employee Assistance ProgrammeEmployee Discount Platform
• Eye test vouchers
• Free Tea / Coffee

Working Shift Pattern

Monday to Friday 37.5 hours

Interested? If you have a can-do, will-do approach to join a hardworking, dynamic, passionate, manufacturing team, please send your CV today.

Job requirements

You will enjoy working at Saica if you : Care : Are a team-player, support your colleagues and share your ideas It’s important that you want an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity Value : Have high standards, want to achieve good quality and great service Challenge : You are self-motivated to improve and achieve. You are open and transparent, tell it as it is. Specific skills or experience requirements will be shown in the job description.