The Domino N610i is also the first digital press at the flexo label printing site, which became MPS Bristol following the merger between US-based MPS and Chesapeake Services in 2013.

Bob Houghton, head of marketing and communication at MPS, said: "We have digital capability for leaflets and labels elsewhere in the group and we are beta testing some digital carton presses in the US but this is the first digital press at this particular factory.

"The site had flexo capability already and had been monitoring the digital market for some time waiting for the right product. The primary focus of MPS Bristol is on premium labels; we do a lot of work for craft breweries where the beer label is essentially all of their branding.

"That's why we waited for the seven-colour model, for the higher print quality and the greater flexibility that that gives our customers. We also do work for larger companies that have one fundamental design that doesn't change, but then lots of different product variations and digital is ideal for that."

Houghton added that the company was already transferring work from flexo to digital, enabling clients to order smaller quantities and be more flexible where in the past they would have had to place large orders due to the greater start-up costs for flexo.

Andy Walter, managing director at MPS Bristol, said that more of the firm's customers wanted the flexibility of a digitally printed product but without compromising their brand with inferior quality.

"Not only does the [Domino] system's quality of print and strength of colour enable customers to manage their label requirements more effectively, it also allows them to maintain their brand integrity, which remains a key priority," said Walter.

He added that the new press would enable designers and brand owners to build personalisation, variable data and more focused promotional offers into their labels.

Another important factor in selecting the 75m/min, 600dpi inkjet press was its high opacity white ink, which is said to deliver a "silkscreen-like finish" suitable for solids and adding fine detail to metallic and clear labels.

In addition to the new inkjet press, MPS Bristol has installed a digital finishing line from Digicon that Houghton said allowed the company to enhance the labels printed on the N610i even further by adding foil blocking, laminating, special coatings and other special finishes.