The German publishing and printing group has expanded its original plan to install 30 Prosper printheads to 33, including the four from its original trial and the 19 additional printheads from Manroland.

Of the remaining 10 printheads some will now be integrated by KBA on its presses at some of Axel Springer's contract printers, while others have yet to have their orders confirmed with either manufacturer.

It was originally thought that Manroland would handle the integration for all sites on its own Colorman presses and on KBA presses. However, Axel Springer has since decided to work with both press manufacturers.

A spokesman for Manroland Web Systems confirmed that the company had tendered for all print sites but that Axel Springer had taken the decision to split the order.

Anton Hamm, vice president service and printcom at Manroland Web Systems said that the pilot projects at Springer's Ahrensburg and Berlin-Spandau sites had given rise to the "ideal inkjet solution".

"With this experience we will be able to quickly upgrade the rest of our customer's presses and support the new business model," he added.

The integration of Kodak's Prosper S30 printheads allows the production of a strip of monochrome variable data at full press speed for special competitions and promotions in Axel Springer's titles.

Axel Springer said in December that it planned to add the hybrid printing capability to all of its plants by May, with an ultimate deadline of August 2013, when the German Bundesliga season starts.