Total Quality manufacturer AC Labels provides ultimate assurance to customers.

Derby manufacturer AC Labels have crossed the 'final hurdle' in providing full reassurance to their customers that they are a quality force to be reckoned with. Since the original company ACL hit financial difficulties in 2009 as sales of phone cards collapsed, the labels part of the business lost its ISO 9001 designation when they were sent into administration. Having been bought by the Mercian Labels Group in 2010, the new team has worked tirelessly to rebuild their financial and quality reputations, and today received confirmation that they are fully compliant with the international quality standards demanded by ISO 9001:2008 accredited by UKAS.

AC Labels excel in the manufacture of two distinct labelling areas:

The first is in variable data and barcode labels, many of which are used in the medical and logistics fields, where guaranteed readability and accuracy are vital.

The second is in the manufacture of Gamma Sterilisation verification labels, under the famous brand Gammatex (until recently sold as 'Detex'). These labels change colour to provide a highly visual signal that sterilisation of foods, medical supplies and other essential products, is complete.

Pete Hartshorn, General Manager, said: 'We are in the business of providing labels which are highly accurate and totally reliable. Unreadable barcodes can play havoc in the medical and logistics supply chains – as most of us have experienced when our parcels or luggage have gone astray. But those are relatively minor issues when compared to a patient's tissue samples, or sterilised equipment.

'AC Labels have invested in the latest technologies to ensure that our barcodes are guaranteed readable before they even come off the press; and every batch of Gammatex labels is verified by Europe's leading provider of contract sterilisation services, Isotron. We always knew we were ISO Quality compliant, but now we have the certificates again to prove it'.

Jason Woodhouse, Business Development Manager added: 'Our current customers are very aware of our strict quality control procedures and our insistence on manufacturing excellence. Today's announcement is important because now our future customers can rely on their conformity to ISO quality standards as well. The business is growing rapidly, and this is an important milestone to ensure we maintain the momentum.'

AC Labels in Derby were acquired out of administration by the Mercian Labels Group in 2010, adding long run variable data and barcode label capabilities to the product portfolio, and providing jobs for 9 people. AC Labels manufacture high quality variable data labels, and the Gammatex brand of labels, a vital component to verify correct sterilisation of food and medical materials following Gamma Irradiation.

2010 saw the 6th successive year of record profit growth for the The Mercian Labels Group , much of which is reinvested to secure its future (£1m in the last 3 years from retained profit). The Group is currently investing further in an aggressive New Product Development strategy aimed at introducing innovative solutions in the security and labelling markets.