Alon Bar-Shany, vice president of HP's Indigo division said the agreement, announced yesterday at Drupa, was likely to be ''the largest deal we have ever announced''.

Consolidated Graphics, which has facilities across the US, Canada and one in the Czech Republic, will use the presses to output a range of print, specifically products for its photobook printing operation.

The deal also includes three HP SmartStream Ultra Print Servers, which will help drive the company's Indigo setup.

Seven of the presses are HP's new Indigo 7000 which, along with the other new machines, will join the company's existing fleet of 19 Indigo presses.

Installation of the presses is scheduled to begin in June, starting with the company's Prague, Czech Republic, and Medford, Oregon facilities.

Joe Davis, chairman and chief executive of Consolidated Graphics, said: "We are proud of our growing relationship with HP and the ability to leverage their technology leadership as a complement to our strategic focus in this high growth portion of our business."

Bar-Shany said: ''This is not just a press deal but a technology one. Consolidated Graphics has the confidence in digital and the confidence in HP."

He added: "The unmatched quality of our technology allows companies like Consolidated Graphics to pursue even greater profitable growth by meeting the exploding demand for photo-quality digital production printing and variable data print campaigns."