Roach Bridge Tissues, a specialist tissue paper printer and converter, serves the retail POS and e‑commerce markets with a diverse clientele that includes designer clothing, footwear, cut glass, pottery, wine bottle packaging, sheet metal liners and optical lenses and Moving packaging.
About 70% of the company’s sales come from custom-printed tissue paper, with the remainder made up of simple white or colored reeds and rolls. Roach Bridge Tissues prides itself on being a design-led company that transforms its customers’ design concepts into tangible products that enhance brand presentation. Her expertise lies in providing design support and technical assistance to clients who have a vision but lack the knowledge to implement it.
As a medium-sized manufacturer based in the picturesque Lancashire countryside, Roach Bridge Tissues’ team of ten has over 120 years’ experience in the tissue paper industry. Their printed and finished tissue paper adds the perfect finishing touch to customers’ unboxing experience and ensures luxury and brand awareness.
For eight years, Roach Bridge Tissues has been a proud member of Made in Britain and uses the officially registered trademark on all ream packaging. This trademark symbolizes low product miles, quality, fast production, support for the British economy and workforce and British manufacturing quality.
Since its founding 25 years ago, Roach Bridge Tissues has been committed to ethical and environmental responsibility. An ongoing goal of the company is to minimize the environmental impact of its processes. The pursuit of net zero requires integrating environmental impact reduction into decision-making, ensuring that both economic viability and environmental considerations drive outcomes.
What is the main problem you solve for your customers?
Versatility. Because the majority of our work is bespoke, each job presents unique requirements. The extensive knowledge we have gained over the years enables us to support our customers right from the first design phase. We have an extensive stock of paper in a variety of thicknesses and sizes, allowing us to meet most design briefs. As a UK manufacturer, we can respond quickly and deliver from design to finished product in under two weeks for minimum order quantities.
What inspired you to start your company – did you want to disrupt the status quo or was it a gap in the market that you wanted to fill?
Tissue paper feels like it’s in my blood; My grandfather owned the Roach Bridge paper mill and produced tissue paper until his death in the late 1970s. When my husband and I learned that some of the mill’s machines were for sale, we saw an opportunity to fill a gap in the market for custom branded tissue paper.
In the early 2000s, printed tissue paper was not particularly popular, but with the change in plastic bag laws and the rise of e‑commerce, branded tissue paper has become highly sought after.
What are your brand values?
Service and quality are at the heart of Roach Bridge’s values. Our entire team is committed to ensuring that every package of tissue paper we ship exceeds expectations.
Although the Roach Bridge Tissues brand may not be widely known, our company is focused on improving brand awareness for our customers. Our values are an integral part of the way we run the company and make our products.
Do your values influence your decision-making process?
Absolutely. Our values guide everything we do, from sourcing the best raw materials and maintaining our machines to efficiently planning production schedules and valuing our team and our environment.
Is team culture critical to your company?
Yes, team culture is crucial. As a small team, collaboration is essential. We ensure that all team members are trained on different machines and go through different processes. This approach not only provides protection against vacation and illness, but also promotes better well-being and problem solving through a shared pool of expertise. I know the importance of flexibility, especially when unexpected personal issues arise, and we all work together to support each other.
How do you show your team that you value them?
Even though we don’t have team building days or reward programs, we value and respect each other’s opinions. I am actively involved in all aspects of the process and maintain an open door policy for questions, ideas and issues. When preparing offers for unconventional orders, we make joint decisions and use the specific specialist knowledge of the team members.
Seven years ago we switched to a four-day week for economic reasons, and when business picked up, the team preferred this arrangement. We now have a shortened working week with optional plus four hours on Friday in peak season.
Do you communicate directly and clearly with your customers?
Yes, clear communication with customers is of utmost importance. I always provide honest feedback on what is possible within our capabilities and find solutions to deliver what our customers need. Transparency avoids hidden costs and disappointments and ensures customer satisfaction.
How do you deal with inflation and interest rates – do you pass the costs on to customers or absorb them?
Due to high energy consumption, the paper industry was faced with significant price increases at the start of the Ukrainian War. We experienced a period when prices were skyrocketing, but customers rarely questioned the increases. Most prices have now stabilized and we can largely absorb the costs. Interest rates have not affected us as we operate on a pay-as-you-go basis. To support my team during the cost of living crisis, I have decided to take a significant pay increase, prioritizing the team’s well-being over profitability.
How do you evaluate your data and KPIs?
Our primary data comes from satisfied customers, with the key performance indicators being returning customers and acquiring new customers. While tracking numbers is important, I focus on the bigger picture: providing excellent service at competitive prices, maintaining team enthusiasm and achieving annual revenue growth. As long as these goals are met, monthly goals don’t worry me too much.
Is technology playing a larger role in your company’s operations?
Our printing machines are traditional because tissue paper is too delicate for digital printing. Our team’s skills, such as color matching hand-mixed inks, set us apart. However, the office is equipped with modern technology, although it is unlikely that we will go paperless.
What is your attitude towards your competitors?
As long as our competitors maintain their standards, I am satisfied with our pursuit of improvement.
What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Always do your best, value your team and customers, and focus on long-term results rather than immediate gains. Consider the impact on the environment in all decisions. This may be more expensive initially, but it’s worth it in the long run.
How do you relax and recharge your batteries?
I’m particularly good at leaving work behind at the end of the day. Beekeeping and being a referee and adjudicator for artistic swimming keep me busy and focused on the weekends and are a great way to relax. Family is wonderful, but it doesn’t fall under the relaxing category!
Do you follow the 12-week working method or longer planning strategies?
I don’t stick to any particular planning method. Most customer orders are placed on a just-in-time basis. So while I keep track of about six weeks, the production schedule is planned weekly and is subject to change. We prioritize urgent requests and ensure they do not impact other customers. Stock paper takes approximately 12 weeks to produce, while other supplies are ordered as needed. Maintenance is scheduled and our engineering team, including my husband, is available when needed.
What is your company’s environmental strategy?
We are committed to reducing our impact on the environment and providing the best working environment. Many certification standards are expensive for an SME, so we adopt their criteria without the audits. We are FSC registered and much of our paper stock is 100% recycled.
Our factory runs on electricity from an on-site hydroelectric turbine and we plan to install solar panels. We use natural light, LED lighting and efficient heating systems. Our team lives locally and minimizes travel burden. We have a deinking system for waste disposal and all production waste is recycled. Our rural location with free-range chickens and beehives enhances our environment.
What are your goals for the next 12 months?
Our main goal is to install a new, better insulated roof with solar panels to increase our sustainability efforts.
