The four-year-old 18,000sph press, which has 98m impressions to date, was supplied from Heidelberg’s remarketed equipment portfolio.

It was shipped from Finland and underwent a cleaning service in Belgium before being delivered to Norwich-based Swallowtail at the end of September.

It has replaced a 2006 B1 Speedmaster CD 102-5, which the firm sold on to Leeds-based print equipment reseller White Horse Machinery.

“We needed to upgrade but a new machine would have been a step too far. We did look at all the new options from Heidelberg, KBA and Komori and we looked at several secondhand dealers as well,” said production director James Baxter.

“We have bought secondhand through a dealer before but with Inpress Control and Autoplate XL we feel much more comfortable going with the knowledge and expertise that Heidelberg has in-house. It has put in the standard warranty on the overall package.”

The press has 98m impressions to date. Swallowtail believes it will achieve 40m to 45m impressions a year.

“I believe this is one of the most positive things we have ever done because it will make us so much more competitive. It should increase our productivity by around 30% and we’ve also got the coating unit, which will make our turnaround times a lot quicker,” said Baxter.

Swallowtail also runs a Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 75-5 with laminator, a Ricoh Pro C751 digital press and a range of Stahl, Horizon, MBO, Autobond and Muller finishing equipment.

The firm is planning to invest in a second digital press in the next few months and is currently looking at options from Ricoh and Konica Minolta.

The business, which was created three years ago with the merger of local businesses Norwich Colour Print and F Crowe & Sons, employs 54 staff and has a turnover of £5.3m.

It produces work including brochures, stationery, newsletters, magazines, greetings cards and books for a range of local and London-based businesses.