Berkshire Labels has been added to Asteria Group’s portfolio of label and package printing companies spread across the European continent.

The 42-year-old UK label printer utilises flexo and digital printing technology, to manufacture self-adhesive labels, shrink sleeves and more for a variety of end uses and markets. The company’s roots were laid when Howard Roscoe installed a Markem hot foil label press in his garage at the start of the 1980s. At that time, the company traded as Westbrook Labelling Systems. Berkshire Labels formally came into existence in 1983.

The following four decades have seen continued investment in processes and production, such as its first five-colour flexo press – a Propheteer – installed in 1995, two eight-colour Mark Andy UV flexo presses following in the first half of the first decade of the 21st Century, followed by a third Mark Andy press and then HP Indigo digital label printing technology. It recently invested in a Bobst Digital Master 340 label press, a fully digitalised and automated production line with a Mouvent inkjet engine, twin flexo units, lamination and cold foil capabilities and inline die-cutting. Berkshire Labels is currently led by Paul Roscoe, who became managing director in 1996.

Originally established in Belgium, Asteria is an international group with companies in the Netherlands, France, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, and the UK and Ireland. The group’s first formal entry into the UK market came when the digital-only CS Labels joined the group in 2021.

Mr Roscoe said, ‘Asteria is a great fit and support for us as we continue to invest, develop and grow our business and make plans for another exciting decade ahead. Maintaining all of our original core values, we remain a close family business but now also benefit from the support offered from the larger Asteria family.’

Ives Declerck, Asteria Group CEO, commented, ‘Berkshire Labels is a great company and great fit for the Asteria Group and will complement and expand our existing European and UK production sites. We look forward to supporting Paul and the team at Berkshire in their exciting growth plans.’