The Royal British Legion (RBL) is set to automate the manufacturing of its poppies, following a partnership with Yorkshire-based industrial technology company Sewtec Automation.
Sewtec has secured a contract to design and manufacture a bespoke automation system for the RBL’s poppy production facility. The new machinery will transform reels of paper and pre-made stems into the charity’s two-petal poppy.
The remembrance poppies will be made at RBL’s facility in Aylesford, before being packaged and sent out to locations across the country for the charity’s 2022 Poppy Appeal.
Simon O’Leary, assistant director of fundraising at the Royal British Legion, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Sewtec Automation to produce a bespoke and innovative design solution that will safeguard our mass paper poppy production for many years to come.
“We produce around 30 million poppies annually and these are distributed to communities across the country via our dedicated volunteers and partner organisations. Every poppy makes a difference to the lives of our Armed Forces community.”
The money raised from the Poppy Appeal will help RBL to continue its work supporting the armed forces community through hardships, injuries and bereavements. The new contract comes during the RBL’s 100th year supporting serving and ex-serving personnel and their families.
