The Cornwall, Penryn-based business has moved into B2 format production with the new press that will arrive specified with Heidelberg's Prinect Pressroom Manager.

Its new machine will replace an outgoing four-year-old five-colour Komori 520 press, a move the company said will increase productivity at the commercial printer.

According to R Booth managing director Steve Booth, the Speedmaster SX is "the right press at the right price".

He added: "We went to Brentford to view the SM 74 and were impressed, but then we were told we could have the new SX 74 for relatively little additional cost – that made it an easy decision.

"This new technology is so easy to use and the makeready so slick, which is important to us with a large amount of short run business, from 250 copies up."

Unveiled at its pre-Drupa press conference in February, the Speedmaster SX range forms the manufacturer's "performance class" of sheetfed presses, positioned between the standard SM range and its XL peak performance machines.

The SX range comprises the SX 52, SX 74 and SX 102, covering everything from small format up to a 70x100cm sheet size. PS2 Print ordered the UK's first SX 74-5 last month.

In addition to the new machine, R Booth also operates a two-colour B2 Komori, a five-colour Lithrone and two Xerox 700 digital colour presses installed in 2010.