The partnership between the Moscow-based distributor, an independent company that has been set up specifically to sell Edale products, and Hampshire-based Edale, which specialises in manufacturing narrow web printing presses and converting equipment, was sealed with the sale of a nine-colour Beta modular flexopress with combination flexo/screen and hot foiling units to Tver-based offset printer Laguna.

Laguna invested in the new press after deciding to move into the printing of self-adhesive, flexographic labels for healthcare, cosmetics and liquor products.

Laguna’s director Alla Poltavtseva said: "We were very impressed with the FL-350 launch at Label Expo Europe and it really helped to secure in our mind that Edale were the right choice.

"Our decision to purchase the Beta then became an easy one after visiting an Edale customer in the UK, who also ran high specification labels on their Edale machines."

Edale head of sales and marketing Jeremy Westcott added: "Edale used to have a very strong presence in Russia but for the past seven or so years we have not been selling machines there as the previous agency we used closed down.

"It’s very important to the company’s strategy to increase our presence in eastern European countries as 80% of our business is exports and so it makes sense for us to ensure that we reach these markets."

In October Edale signed up Bangkok-based Rotary Technology Partnership to promote its range of equipment in Thailand.