The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) is opening a centre of excellence for printed electronics at its Printable Electronics Technology Centre (PETEC) in Sedgefield.

A narrow web reel-to-reel press will form the centre-piece of the site, with tenders for the machine due in by 4 August.

PETEC programme manager Bella Green told PrintWeek that there had already been a number of interests registered by large manufacturers.

She said: "This is the big one, but we will also be looking for other equipment such as proofing, pick and place and a flatbed screen printer.

"We have set ourselves the target of getting this plant up and running by the end of the year, it is a tough challenge but we are on target."

The four or five unit press must be able to handle a standard web width of 300mm and be capable of taking paper, light cartonboard, plastics, unsupported films, foils and self adhesive label stocks with thickness of 25-370 microns.

Other requirements include the ability to handle two offset and two flexo printing units inline in one pass, two rotary screen printing units inline in one pass and one gravure unit and two flexo units inline in one pass.

Green added: "We need a very versatile press, a modular press, because printed electronics covers so many areas."

The tender is available to view here.