The fully automated device, which has the capacity to output 21 plates per hour, was bought from Rayleigh-based Repro Sales and installed at Torbay, Devon-based AC Print’s premises last month.

The machine has replaced a Python CTO Heights Processor, which has been part-exchanged.

The business is using the chemistry-free Kodak Sonora processless plate with the device, which it said is better for the environment and also produces a better quality plate image.

Director Andy Cousins said: “Already we are seeing the benefits, it is fully automatic and apart from loading plates in the cassette it runs unattended whereas before we spent three or four hours a day making plates manually. This coupled with the benefit of being totally processless is already creating a saving.”

The business also operates a five-colour Komori NL 526 ES litho press, a Xerox DocuColor 260, Canon imagePress C6011 and Canon Océ CS665 digital machines and a Roland DG Versacamm VS-640 large-format device.

It also runs a wide range of finishing equipment including a Polar guillotine, a Duplo System 5000 collator and bookletmaker, a Neopost DS 200 mailing and inserting machine and a Heidelberg Cylinder. In December it installed a Horizon Crossfolder AFC-566 AKT.

AC Print, which has 11 staff, produces a wide variety of general print including business cards, banners, posters, flyers, exhibition graphics, POS and direct mail for customers including retailers, theatres, design agencies and end-users.