At Fespa Digital 2009 Agfa vice president of inkjet systems Richard Barham claimed that the ink technology used in its M-Press meant its machines consumed half the volume of ink of rivals for comparable output, slashing running costs. He also said that the M-Press' use of a Thieme screen press chassis means customers can have the inkjet system upgraded in the field, protecting their investment.

He made the claim as the firm launched the M-Press Tiger, an enhancement of the original machine that triples productivity via the use of a new printing shuttle. Upgrading a machine costs €300,000 (£265000), rather than the €1.3m-€1.8m of a new machine.

"You no longer need to think of having a forklift upgrade after three years," said Barham. "It's much more cost-effective to upgrade parts of the system for these industrial applications."

He added that the M-Press' use of 12pl ink droplets resulted in a very thin ink film, and therefore half the running costs of competitors' machines.

"Ink costs are competitive with rivals on a per litre basis, and in addition the thinner films deliver better punch."

Its speed beats them, cost beats them and it sets new expectations for print buyers for the quality."

The firm will launch a mid-range flatbed using LED UV lamp technology in Q4 this year. It has been working to optimise the formula of its inks to ensure the initiators work with the narrow spectrum of LED technology.

"We're looking at what we can do to make these systems more cost-effective," said Barham. "We see UV LED As a major way to lower customers' costs."

LED lamps will cut power requirements through their lower power consumption and reduced heat output, which will remove the need for additional cooling systems. They also reduce costs as they should last the lifetime of the press, and make the press simpler by eliminating the need for mechanical shutters. A further benefit of their low heat output is to enable the printing of heat-sensitive substrates.