The blankets have been made more environmentally friendly by reducing up to 70% of CO2 emissions using a new calendering process which uses a steel roller to form the rubber. This is more energy efficient and does not require the solvent additives used by the conventional method.

The remaining carbon footprint is offset through a certified reforestation project in Panama. The carbon-neutral claims have been approved by Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences.

"We go a step further because we want to offer our customers climate-neutral printing blankets," said Thomas Perkovic, head of the printing blanket segment at ContiTech Elastomer Coatings. "That's why we opted to acquire climate protection certificates as a means of neutralising the remaining CO2 emissions."

Alongside the carbon-neutral blankets, branded Pure Printing, the company will also exhibit a system that can measure the compressibility of the nip zone between the plate and the blanket at the Birmingham show.