Plate Mounter & Print Support Operative

Saica Group; Wigan; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Friendly environment

Career progression opportunities

Comprehensive training and development

Employee of the Month/Year awards

22 days holiday incl. Bank Holidays

Sick pay scheme

Refer-a-Friend scheme

Cycle to Work scheme

Home & Tech scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Eye test vouchers

Job summary

Saica Group’s Saica Flex division in Wigan is seeking a Plate Mounter & Print Support Operative. The role focuses on preparing and mounting printing plates for the press team to ensure efficient production and high-quality packaging output.

The position offers a 12-hour rotating shift pattern, with opportunities for training, career development, and progression within a global sustainability-focused packaging group.

Qualifications

• Experience in manufacturing or production environments.
• Strong attention to detail and quality standards.
• Good communication skills and ability to work within a team.
• Understanding of Health, Safety and Environmental procedures.
• Good organisational skills and ability to prioritise workload.
• Reasonable level of fitness due to lifting and manual handling.

Responsibilities

• Locate, inspect and prepare plates for production.
• Apply and remove backing tape using mounting equipment.
• Mount printing plates onto sleeves to customer specifications.
• Demount plates after production runs.
• Clean and maintain printing plates using dedicated equipment.
• Store, identify and manage print plates for future use.
• Ensure mounting activities align with production schedules.
• Check orders and production paperwork ahead of planned work.
• Notify management of missing materials or information.
• Support production operations and equipment upkeep.
• Assist with plate registration and troubleshooting.

Skills

Manufacturing experience

Attention to detail

Team communication

Health & safety

Physical fitness

Mounting equipment

Print industry exposure

Tools

Mounting equipment

Job description

Plate Mounter & Print Support Operative

Location: Wigan, WN3 6XD

Salary: Competitive, DOE + Excellent Benefits!

Contract: Full time, Permanent - 12 Hour Rotating Shift Pattern

Benefits

• Friendly and supportive working environment
• Career progression opportunities
• Comprehensive training and development
• Employee of the Month and Employee of the Year awards
• 22 days holiday inclusive of Bank Holidays
• Company Sick Pay Scheme (after qualifying service)
• Refer-a-Friend Scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Home & Tech Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Employee Discount Platform and Eye Test Vouchers!

Be Part of the Circular Economy

At Saica Flex, part of the Saica Group, we're helping to shape a more sustainable future through innovative flexible packaging solutions. As a global business with over 10,000 employees across 11 countries, sustainability is at the heart of everything we do.

Our Wigan facility manufactures flexible packaging products for leading food retailers and suppliers, and we're looking for a Mounter & Print Support Operative to join our growing team.

If you're looking for a hands‑on manufacturing role with career progression, training opportunities, and the chance to be part of an industry-leading sustainable business, we'd love to hear from you.

About the Role

As a Plate Mounter & Print Support Operative, you'll play a vital role in supporting our print production operation by preparing and mounting printing plates for the press team.

You'll ensure all plates are accurately prepared and available ahead of production schedules, helping to maximise efficiency, minimise downtime, and maintain the highest quality standards.

Working closely with production teams and Shift Managers, you'll become a key part of delivering high‑quality packaging products to some of the UK's leading brands and retailers.

Job Responsibilities

As our Plate Mounter and Print Support Operative you will:

• Locate, inspect and prepare plates for production.
• Apply and remove backing tape using specialist mounting equipment.
• Mount printing plates onto sleeves to customer specifications.
• Demount plates following production runs.
• Clean and maintain printing plates using dedicated cleaning equipment.
• Store, identify and manage print plates for future use.
• Ensure all mounting activities are completed in line with the production schedule.
• Check orders, plates, process controls and production paperwork ahead of planned work.
• Notify management immediately of any missing materials or information.
• Support production operations and equipment upkeep where required.
• Assist with plate registration and print-related troubleshooting.
• Work in compliance with site Health & Safety procedures.
• Follow BRC, ISO, Environmental and Quality Management standards.
• Maintain high housekeeping standards within the department.
• Ensure all work is completed accurately and to customer requirements.
• Monitor stock levels of tape, plate wash and cleaning materials.
• Organise workload effective to meet production targets.
• Ensure mounting work is prepared no more than 48 hours ahead of schedule to accommodate production changes.

What We're Looking For

Essential

• Previous experience within a manufacturing or production environment.
• Strong attention to detail and quality standards.
• Good communication skills and the ability to work effectively within a team.
• Understanding of Health, Safety and Environmental procedures.
• Good organisational skills and ability to prioritise workload.
• Reasonable level of fitness as the role involves lifting, bending and manual handling activities.

Desirable

• Previous experience within a print manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of print production processes.
• Experience working in quality‑controlled manufacturing environments.

This role operates on a 12-hour rotating shift pattern across a 4-week cycle:

• Week 1: 4 Nights and 3 Days Off
• Week 2: 3 Days, 1 Day Off and 3 Nights
• Week 3: 3 Days Off and 4 Days
• Week 4: 7 Days Off

This shift pattern provides excellent work‑life balance, including a full week off every fourth week.

Why Join Saica Flex

At Saica, our values are simple:

• We Care: For our people, our customers and our planet.
• We Value: Teamwork, innovation & personal development.
• We Challenge: Ourselves to create sustainable solutions for the future.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a global organisation that is investing in people, sustainability and innovation.

Whether you're already experienced in print manufacturing or looking to develop your career within a specialist production environment, Saica Flex can help you grow.