GSM Graphic Arts Ltd
About us
We are a leading UK manufacturer of product labels, industrial nameplates and graphic overlays. We offer a comprehensive range of bespoke labelling solutions suitable for use in a range of industries including oil & gas, instrumentation, plant & machinery, sports & leisure, catering and many more. A complete one-stop service with experience gained from 50 years in manufacturing. Come and meet us on stand A320 to discover the benefits that GSM can offer for your product labelling projects.
Products & services
Graphic Overlays
Graphic Overlays tend to be the face of a product and therefore it is essential that we spend time designing these aesthetically but also functionally. We can manufacture graphic overlays using polycarbonate or polyester and these can include features and functions such as; • Embossed buttons • Anti-glare windows • Secret until lit windows • Cut-outs for switches • Transparent LED windows Once you have decided on the layout and the artwork design for your graphic overlay, we can either digitally or screen print the detail onto the clear material before adding the features from above as required. We have the capability to recreate photographic quality printing onto the graphic overlays and therefore you can be sure that your logo and functions printed will be bright and bold. As well as under surface printing the graphic overlay to protect the ink we may also add lacquer to the product to enhance areas for either durability or for design so that when touched the selectively lacquered areas offer differentiation for the user. This would potentially help a visually impaired user or would be useful for a product that was to be operated in dark environments. Please connect with our team to discuss your individual graphic overlay requirements.
Antimicrobial labels
Antimicrobial labels have become extremely popular over the last few years as hygiene is more important than ever. GSM offers anti bacterial labels to meet your requirements, whether they are to be used in a washroom environment, on medical equipment or even in hotels and leisure centres. The antimicrobial finish is designed to prevent the ability of micro-organisms to develop on the surface of the protected labels making them suitable for use in healthcare and food processing environments, in fact anywhere which requires anti bacteria protection. This finish is achieved either by using a pre-coated polyester or, in the case of anodised aluminium nameplates, by applying an anti-microbial varnish to the finished label. Whether your requirement is for a wipe clean, graphic overlay or control panel, anodised aluminium push plates on washroom doors or a warning label on products being used in a sensitive environment, GSM offers an antimicrobial label solution. In order to offer a quotation for antimicrobial labels we will ask the type of environment the labels will be used in, the application and the type of protection required to ensure that we offer the right antibacterial labels for your application. Contact our Sales Team now to discuss your antimicrobial label requirements, please call us on 01845 522 184 or request a brochure and sample pack.
Control Panels
Have your control panel & fascias manufactured by a trusted supplier to many companies as GSM Graphic Arts has 50 years manufacturing experience. Using anodised aluminium we can digitally print graphic details onto a control panel and then seal the ink beneath the anodic layer. Digitally printing the aluminium ensures that we are able to include variable information on the control panel. These are great for use on external equipment as the anodic ink has passed uv durability testing as well as further weather resistance testing. Another option we can offer is to powder coat the control panel to change the colour of the metal before we either digitally or screen print the detail. Generally, stainless steel is requested for powder coating control panels and can be bent into shape prior to receiving its coating. These are very robust and can be used in a wide variety of industries and will last a very long time. Should a control panel require holes and cut outs we have the capability to laser cut these In-house to avoid tooling costs for prototypes or smaller volume requirements. Please contact a member of our team to discuss your individual control panel requirements.
Equipment Nameplates
Our equipment nameplates have been through extensive testing to ensure that they are UV stable for a minimum of 5 years. Because of this we pride ourselves on delivering equipment nameplates that are suitable for use within external environments. We can manufacture equipment nameplates on either polycarbonate or polyester using the UV inks to provide bold, bright coloured detail that is UV resistant. Metal equipment nameplates can be manufactured using either anodised aluminium or stainless steel. Anodised aluminium equipment labels can be digitally printed using anodic inks that are sealed beneath the anodic layer to create a scratch and scuff resistant label that can house variable information including serial numbers and barcodes. Stainless steel equipment labels can be chemically etched at our North Yorkshire factory. These can then be infilled with ink to provide a bold and bright label that can be used in harsh environments such as marine and offshore. All our materials used can be printed with your individual artwork and will house your logo to provide a truly personal plate that fits in with your company’s corporate branding. Contact our team to find out how we can help with your equipment nameplate requirements.
Anodised Aluminium & Stainless Steel Nameplates
Providing industrial nameplates for over 5 decades, GSM Graphic Arts provides a wealth of knowledge, as one of the UK's largest labelling manufacturers. GSM Graphic Arts can manufacture industrial nameplates on printed plastic, anodised aluminium and stainless steel to provide hard wearing and durable finishes. Using stainless steel industrial nameplates for use in marine and offshore industries is a hardy way to label items that are used within these environments. We can offer either 316 or 304 stainless steel industrial nameplates with either etched and infilled or etch only detail. We can also offer plastic industrial labels. These can be supplied as either polycarbonate or polyester. We have the option to either digitally print or screen print onto the material and this is done in reverse so that the clear material acts as a barrier and protects the ink from scratches or scuffs. Due to our investment in the latest technology, we may offer cutting of plastics without any tooling for both smaller and larger quantities. Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss your requirements with our team.
Anodised Aluminium & Stainless Steel Nameplates
Metal nameplates are manufactured by GSM Graphic Arts using over 50 years manufacturing experience. Metal Nameplates can be used in a wide variety of industrial environments making them a very popular option for many of our customers. We offer either 304 or 316 stainless steel metal nameplates that can be either laser marked or chemically etched and infilled at our factory in North Yorkshire. Using chemical etching to create the detail on the plate ensures a long-lasting and durable finish to the detail needed on the plate. We can then infill this using bright and bold coloured stoving paints. Aluminium is another option that can be used as a metal nameplate. At GSM we anodise the aluminium which is the process of electrically charging the aluminium to open the pores of the metal. We can then print ink into these pores and seal the aluminium to create a very durable and robust surface to the metal nameplate. On both options for metal nameplates, we offer either 3M adhesive backing and/or fixing/rivet holes for securing a nameplate into place. This ensures that the plate is applied properly and therefore should not be removed easily. Please contact our team to discuss your bespoke metal nameplate requirements further.
Plastic Labels
Your plastic labels are in safe hands as, GSM Graphic Arts is a leading manufacturer and supplier of labels, nameplates and fascias. Plastic labels are a very versatile product as they can be applied within many market industries. Using a polycarbonate or polyester material, plastic labels may be under surface printed using UV inks. This means that the material acts as a barrier to the ink detail printed preventing the detail from been scratched or scuffed in any way, in turn providing a hard wearing and durable plastic label. These labels can also have an adhesive of your choosing to the rear to ensure that they can be applied easily and efficiently. If a more economical but less hardy label is required GSM can also manufacture vinyl and PVC labels. These may also be digitally printed so can include variable information such as barcodes and or serial numbers. Plastic labels come in all shapes and sizes and are often used as warning labels and health and safety signage. A rigid PVC label is useful for signage and can house your company logo so it is evident that it is your company that is sharing the information. Polycarbonate, polyester and vinyl are all very useful for application onto curved surfaces as they come in varying thicknesses so we can offer the best option based upon your application. Please contact our team to discuss your requirement.
Product Labels
Product labels are used on almost every product sold and GSM Graphic Arts has over 45 years of experience manufacturing metal and plastic product labels. We work with our customers to ensure we offer the best solution for their bespoke requirements. Our plastic product labels can either be digitally or screen printed and include bold colours to ensure that your product stands out. Using polycarbonate or polyester in a variety of thicknesses we can under-surface print so that the material acts as a barrier to the ink creating a very durable label that may be used in external environments. Anodised aluminium product labels are manufactured using anodised aluminium that has been electrically charged to open the pores of the material. Anodic inks are then printed into the pores and sealed so that the detail printed is sealed beneath the anodic layer, creating a durable and heavy duty product label. Stainless steel product labels can be offered in 316 stainless steel so that they can be used in marine and offshore environments and will be able to withstand the elements. Chemically etching the stainless steel creates detail that can survive in the harshest of environments. Please contact us to discuss your product labelling requirements with us.
Serial Number & Rating Plates
Bespoke serial number & rating plates are manufactured by GSM Graphic Arts. Whether it's a vinyl serial number label or a hard wearing, durable rating plate that you need, we can offer the best solution. The main difference between a serial number label and a rating plate might be that a serial number labels main function is to include the serial number by which a product is identified, whereas a rating plate provides extra pieces of information in addition to the serial number. GSM can provide serial number labels and rating plates on rolls, in sheets or as individual labels to suit your particular requirement. We offer vinyl and Polycarbonate serial number label options as well as anodised aluminium, etched stainless steel and laser marked stainless steel to ensure that we have the right solution for your application. We can provide the serial number and rating plates with the choice of a strong adhesive or fixing holes, punched to specified sizes to ensure that the metal serial number labels and rating plates cannot be removed or defaced. Your logo and company contact details can also be added to ensure that the serial number labels and rating plates work for you as a marketing tool as well as a functional label. Contact our Sales Team to find out more or to request samples.
UV Resistant Labels
The UV resistant labels produced by GSM Graphic Arts have been tested by an external testing house and are guaranteed not to fade within a minimum of 5 years. This testing was commissioned following a request from one of our long term customers, a manufacturer of commercial garden machinery, who specified that all the warning labels used on their equipment must remain legible for a minimum of 5 years and so conformed to ANSI B71.4 for decal durability In order to ensure a recognised test was completed we went to a registered testing house and commissioned a Xenon Arc test which consisted of light & dark cycles, varying temperatures and water spray. The samples were reviewed every 250 hours and the test duration totalled 2000 hours. A copy of the test report is available on request. Therefore we can offer UV Resistant labels with confidence that the inks won’t fade and the material will not discolour or become brittle. This means that GSM can guarantee durability for graphic overlays and fascias which incorporate lcd display windows as well for serial number labels and barcodes labels. Contact us now to discuss your UV resistant label requirements or to request samples.
Warning Labels
As a warning label and safety sign manufacturer, GSM Graphic Arts is a trusted manufacturer and offer a range of economical and rugged warning labels and signs. We understand that a warning label or sign has to be rugged enough to stay in position for a very long time. It may also have to withstand quite severe weather or industrial environmental conditions. With this in mind we offer metal warning labels in the form of either stainless steel or anodised aluminium. Stainless steel can be etched and infilled to house the bold bright colours that are usually used on a warning label. Because the label is first etched it ensures that the labels can be used within conditions such as marine and offshore industries. Anodised aluminium warning labels are manufactured by electrically charging the aluminium to open the pores of the metal. We then print into the pores using anodic inks before sealing the detail beneath the anodic layer. These warning labels are suitable for use in outdoor and external applications. Plastic warning labels tend to be a more economical option for signage and can be manufactured using vinyl, polyester or polycarbonate dependent upon the application. These can be either screen or digitally printed to accommodate high or low volume requirements. Please contact our team to discuss your warning label specification.
Aluminium & Plastic Barcode Labels
Barcode labels have been manufactured by GSM Graphic Arts since the technology was available to do so. We have 50 years manufacturing experience and have invested heavily into the technology and machinery that we use to produce labels, nameplates and labels. We offer a variety of bespoke plastic barcode labels that can be used in extreme conditions. These are manufactured by printing onto the reverse of the material so that the ink is protected by the plastic material and therefore the barcode remains legible. As an alternative to plastic, we can manufacture anodised aluminium barcode labels. These are produced by opening the pores of the aluminium and printing the barcode required into these. The pores are then closed so that the barcode displayed is sealed beneath the anodic layer of the anodised aluminium to provide a highly durable metal barcode label. Finally, an extremely robust and hardy barcode label can be manufactured by laser marking onto either 316 or 304 stainless steel, depending on your requirements. This method removes the surface of the stainless steel to add the barcoded detail. All options offer the capability to house a human readable number should this be needed. Visit our stand or contact us to discuss your barcode labels requirement further and see how we may help you.