HotSeat: Andy Viner, General Manager at PBE Marking Systems

With decades of experience in product decoration, PBE Marking Systems continues to support UK moulders with tailored printing solutions and technical expertise. From hot stamping to pad and screen printing, the company helps manufacturers adapt to changing materials, automation trends, and sustainability goals.

In this PlastikMedia HotSeat, Andy Viner, General Manager of PBE Marking Systems, reflects on the company’s growth, demand for in-house decoration, and how the team’s consultative approach is helping customers solve complex challenges.

What trends do you think will shape the future of UK plastics? How will PBE Marking Systems respond?

You can’t ignore the level of conversations being had around sustainable plastics and how that shift is happening right now. From a product decoration point of view, we need to consider a few key things.

We currently supply machinery and consumables for three main processes: hot stamping, pad printing and screen printing, and the question of adhesion and longevity always comes up.

Some plastics we are working with have special makeups which may not work with the traditional foil or ink. We spend a lot of time taking parts from customers to trial in our technical services department so that we can work out what is going to be best.

Additionally, moulders printing in-house is becoming more common again rather than outsourcing. This is based on volumes, but because printers can be tooled up for a variety of parts, the flexibility is appealing. Product decoration is a secondary process, but with automation increasing, parts can be moulded and printed in a cell very easily.

How has PBE developed during your tenure?

Like many businesses, we have modernised and diversified to stay relevant and competitive.

Systems have been implemented for better customer engagement, such as CRM and a new website, and this has helped with customer retention and growth.

Another area we have focused on is older machines that are currently in use. We are servicing more machines for our customers than ever before to keep them in good working order. This has also resulted in more refurbishment work, which in turn has created a buoyant second-hand machine market. Our website shows some of the machines available, as well as the classified section on the Plastikcity website.

What do you credit as the key to your success?

The real credit for our ongoing success has to go to the PBE staff, who over the years have built up a huge amount of knowledge and expertise.

It fills me with such pride every time a customer asks us to help with printing onto an object, and everyone embraces that challenge. We have a well-trodden process of sampling, consultancy, tooling advice, budget proposal, testing and consumables, and we live and breathe that process every day.

The product decoration space isn’t crowded, but we relish our place in it and love helping people.

What has been the greatest challenge in your career?

The biggest challenge? Getting used to the smell of a mould shop… kidding!

I joined PBE roughly two years ago with a background that wasn’t in product printing, so this industry was very new to me.

I think really, the toughest piece has been getting to know the customer base, how it operates and what it needs.

PBE has been trading in various forms for roughly 100 years. It has been owned and sold a few times, so it has been through the mill with different management teams wanting to change the direction, make changes to products, services and markets to sell into.

However, the fundamentals have always stayed the same, and that is “problem solving”. If you can solve people’s problems in a timely and budget-sensitive way, then the rest falls in place. Build trust and authenticity, and you can’t go wrong, regardless of what product or service you are selling.

What advice do you wish you’d had on entering the industry, and does that differ from the advice you would give to an apprentice joining now?

I was very lucky when I joined PBE as I had two key members of staff, Dave and Reynold, who helped me daily and, given their tenure with the company, were able to help me understand who our customers were, what we did for them and ways that we could make it even better.

We are still a team two years on, and with our growth, we will be looking to get someone new to join us shortly, so this question is a timely one.

I think with any business, someone new needs to learn the “way that you do it here”, but a new person will come with a fresh pair of eyes and a new perspective, so whilst an apprentice will be taught the ropes, they will be given some freedom to think for themselves and challenge us. That will help keep us fresh.

What hidden talents do you have?

When I’m not at work, I enjoy cooking, especially BBQ and live fire. I’m pretty active in that community in the UK, attending events, learning from people and helping others. My cooking style is very “low and slow” and fine dining with fire. Most evenings and weekends, I’ll be outside cooking dinner rather than in the kitchen. As well as two young daughters, it keeps me busy and active.

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PBE Marking Systems 
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