Mission & Values

Faster, better and greener

We want to print the best labels for you and guarantee extremely short delivery times. But even then, sustainability remains our top priority. Thanks to the efforts of our employees, investment in suitable training, and the continuous renewal of our machinery, your packaging will also soon comply with the increasingly strict guidelines and packaging legislation.

We focus on your packaging so that you can focus on your product

We understand that you don’t just come to us for the quality of our printing, but because you also want to work with a flexible and dependable partner. You want professionals that provide you with the right advice and relieve you of your concerns, freeing you up to focus on your core business. That’s the kind of added value that Desmedt wants to bring to your business.

Value-driven

All of our activities are governed by the core values of the company: integrity, dedication, respect for people and the environment, enthusiasm, an eagerness to learn and creativity. These factors make up the context in which you as our prized customer, come first.

Desmedt continues to build towards a sustainable future

Desmedt issues a new Sustainability Report every three years. This Data Report complements and revises our Sustainability Report 2020-2022. In the intervening years, we provide a comprehensive overview of our metrics and accomplishments. The report also provides insight into the key objectives we aim to achieve in the coming years. This ensures our ongoing compliance with UN reporting requirements.

History

We say next generation ̶ but we’re already five successive generations down the road. While in the past we didn’t call it that, in reality, we’ve been making next generation labels at Desmedt since 1889. That means we’ve been active in this field for five generations now: constantly reassessing our work methods and approach, continuously innovating our machinery, and perpetually investing in our team.

A trip back in time

Pivotal moments in Desmedt’s past

  • 1889

    François Desmedt founds Desmedt. He specialised in stamping leather with hot gold leaf. Looking on the inside of hats and antique belts of bygone days, you’ll occasionally notice gilded lettering, or a gold emblem stamped onto the material. This was usually accomplished with a hot foil stamping machine.

  • 1931

    Desmedt begins manufacturing gummed labels, which makes him one of the very first specialised label manufacturers.

  • 1945

    Desmedt becomes the first company in Belgium to make self-adhesive labels, initially available in one colour. The reception of this innovation by customers is nothing less than enthusiastic because it radically simplifies their production processes.

  • 1950

    In the 1950s, Desmedt introduces multicoloured printing in combination with hot foil printing.

  • 1970

    Desmedt is the first in Europe to invest in Flexo printing technology for the label industry.

  • 1994

    Desmedt wins the International Flexo Award in New York and the EFTA Flexo Awards for the Benelux and Europe.

  • 1998

    The ISO 9001 certificate is attained.

  • 1999

    Desmedt renovates its offices and expands its facilities on Liverpoolstraat in Brussels.

  • 2000

    Installation of the first digital offset press in the Benelux.

  • 2003

    Implementation of RF/RFID technology.

  • 2010

    Production of Duo labels starts.

  • 2012

    Desmedt relocates to a larger and more contemporary company building in Hingene-Bornem.

  • 2013

    Desmedt attains the FSC® certificate.

  • 2014

    Desmedt makes the switch to Low Migration Ink for the full production process.

  • 2016

    Desmedt attains the BRCGS certificate.

  • 2016

    Investment is made in completely new machinery that relies on LED drying.

  • 2017

    The launch of Ultra HD Flexo.

  • 2019

    Desmedt attains the ISO 14001:2015 certificate.

  • 2020

    From now on, Desmedt displays the CO2 Neutral® label and commits to reducing, and offsetting, its climate impact each year.

  • 2021

    Desmedt receives the Flexo Tech Award in London. An award for the most sustainable company of the year.

Quality guaranteed and certified methods

  • ISO 9001

    This is Desmedt’s guarantee that quality management is always at the forefront of the sale, printing and finishing of our self-adhesive labels.

  • ISO 14001

    The decision to work with a certified environmental management system is our conscious decision to systematically integrate sustainability into our processes.

  • ISO 45001

    The international standard for workplace health and safety.

  • BRCGS

    We adhere to the strictest BRCGS standards for every sector and application.

  • FSC®

    At every opportunity, we work with sustainably produced materials.

  • Full HD Flexo

    We go beyond the Full HD Flexo requirements in everything we do. We call this Ultra HD Flexo.

  • CO2 Neutral®

    This CO2 Neutral® label shows that we are actively measuring and reducing our climate impact – and, in addition, we offset any remaining emissions.

  • Ecovadis

    The Ecovadis rating highlights Desmedt Labels’ commitment to sustainable entrepreneurship, good labour practices, ethical conduct, and sustainable sourcing.

  • SDG Pioneer

    Every day, we dedicate ourselves to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations.

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