£5m efficiency scheme boosts St Helens firm involved in Blues’ new ground

A St Helens-based company involved in delivering the Everton Stadium project has vastly cut waste in its manufacturing process, increased efficiency and identified new revenue streams after engaging with a £5.2m Liverpool City Region initiative.

Intaglio Creative makes custom-engraved blocks for high status sports grounds, including Everton’s new Bramley-Moore Dock ground, and Liverpool’s Anfield stadium.

The Blues’ new stadium will open for the 2025-26 season and Everton Way will be a unique walkway, made up of 36,000 personalised engraved granite stones that celebrate Evertonians’ births, marriages, anniversaries and loved ones.

Intaglio Creative sought support from the Horizons Project delivery partners at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) to help it reduce the amount of waste in its manufacturing process.

Working alongside LJMU, it was able to procure new manufacturing equipment that reduced its waste by almost 60%.

The Horizons Project is a £5.2m programme funded by the Liverpool City Region’s £44m UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocation. It was introduced in Liverpool in November 2023 and is set to support more than 100 SMEs across the region by providing the expertise, facilities and funding to boost innovation.

Liverpool regional partners include the Virtual Engineering Centre (University of Liverpool), Edge Hill University, LJMU, and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

Working closely with LJMU’s team, Intaglio has implemented a more efficient batch production system and developed sophisticated heating solutions for the masking process.

The company has also identified new revenue streams through its laser engraving capabilities, transforming what was previously an unused asset, into a potential growth driver.

Kevin O’Brien, Intaglio Creative director, said: “As a part of the Horizons project, LJMU has helped us to radically improve our process.

“After an initial assessment period, where the LJMU team reviewed our stone engraving process, they quickly helped identify pinch points in some of the process stages. Some of the options have been seamlessly and quickly integrated, helping to improve processes immediately.”

The collaboration has equipped Intaglio with advanced tracking and monitoring systems, helping to future-proof its operations against energy cost fluctuations and varying market demands.

Jen Bowles-Smith, collaboration specialist at LJMU, said: “When we first visited Intaglio Creative it was apparent that their existing method of engraving stones was causing a significant amount of waste. We worked with Kevin and his team to find an alternative manufacturing process, which, in turn, has reduced their wastage by almost 60%.”

She added: “Results like these are why programmes such as Horizons exist – to provide a helping hand to businesses across the Liverpool City Region to innovate and grow.”

 

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