On the fifth day of Ipex it signed a deal for the first installation of the B552H in Europe with Ink Shop in Glasgow.

Ink Shop director Stuart Mason arrived at the show expecting to finalise the deal for a second Hamada four-colour B452H, the first of which was bought from AB Dick at Northprint last April.

But after seeing the B552H in action he upped his order.

"The demonstration on the five-colour with metallic inks then gloss varnish was phenomenal," said Mason.

Mason had looked at the B552H back in January, but, after planning permission was rejected for an extension to accommodate a bigger press, he opted for a second four-colour.

"Were moving to bigger premises now, so space is no longer a problem," he said.

AB Dick sales and marketing director Ray Hillhouse said the firm had only decided to bring the machine to Ipex to "dip its toes in the water and to test the market".

AB Dick signed the exclusive distributorship deal for the Japanese presses at the beginning of last year.

Story by Rachel Barnes