General manager Will Tompson said turnover for November 2012 was about 6-7% higher than the previous record month of November 2011.

The Sydney food packaging specialist, which is more than 50 years old, traditionally enjoys its busiest month in November as clients stock up ahead of Christmas, he said.

Tompson told ProPrint that the $10 million-turnover firm expected to increase revenue by about 15% this financial year thanks to organic growth in its traditional business and a recent push into new markets.

Van Dyke diversified away from sheetfed in 2010 when it invested $2 million in an eight-colour Omet servo flexo press and three pieces of associated finishing equipment, he said.

[Photos: Tompson joins Japan tour]

That allowed the 34-staff operation to start offering products like sachets, shrink sleeves, self-adhesive labels, and aluminum and PET heat-sealable lidding, he said.

"We need to be able to decorate whatever packaging format our customer wants," he said.

Tompson told ProPrint that the Omet had operated at a loss for its first 15 months as Van Dyke gradually filled it with new work.

He said Van Dyke would probably introduce a second shift for the press some time this year. A new cutting machine is also likely to arrive in 2013 to ease the burden on the current unit, which is running 18 hours per day.

Gaining new packaging clients is a complicated and time-consuming process, said Tompson.

"It's complex. There is a hell of a lot of hoops to jump through in terms of food safety. The flipside is having won a client, you never lose an account on price, you only lose work on poor service or poor quality."

[LinkedIn: What's your all-time favourite piece of kit?]

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