According to Ryobi sales and marketing director Neil Handforth the event has produced "good prospects and strong leads and we're now able to progress them".

The star attraction was the Ryobi 925 SRA1 press, on show with a five-colour plus coater configuration. Handforth said the company had sold four of the units into the UK so far this year, with a fifth machine being installed currently. He said the SRA1 format enabled the B2 press "to produce the kind of eight up work done by B1 printers".

Also on show was the 785E compact B2 press, again designed to appeal to B3 printers looking for an upgrade path that will also enable them to handle their existing workload more efficiently. The model on show was configured with Kocher + Beck inline offset die-cutting.

On a smaller scale, visitors were able to see the ECRM DPP 1200 digital printer along with Morgana's CardXtra plus. The professional  RIP of the DPP 1200, which is based on Harlequin RIP technology, and 0.1mm accuracy of the CardXtra cutter allow the production of high-quality business cards and postcards within a very small footprint and eliminates the need to interrupt other jobs.

"Marketed in the right way, these small sales can provide for a good, steady cash flow, equalling a great source of income for a print business," said joint managing director Bob Usher.

Alongside equipment from Screen, Friedheim and more, visitors were also able to see the new MGI Meteor DP 8700 XL from MGI Technology. The press includes a range of proprietary and patented equipment such as an infrared drying unit that pre-heats the substrates as needed to ensure jobs run at optimum speeds, an electro-magnetic process to increase bonding of the toner, and the ability to set the melting point of the toner, so that it can be used for envelope overprinting without damage to any existing laser printing.

Finally, Imprint showcased its MIS system that, with a starting price of £5,000 for a 'gateway system', has found a home in businesses from £200,000-turnover owner operator companies to the likes of Communisis.

"We believe that we will be one of the few major press vendors to actively demonstrate what we are describing as 'joined-up thinking," said Usher.

Throughout the first day of the show, a limited edition of 500 prints were produced for a charity art project for the Japanese tsunami relief effort. The project, which is being led by Kate Ferrucci of Nottingham-based graphic design company Quarto Design and sponsored by Apex, centres on a set of 20 artworks with the theme "Thinking of Homeland" which have been created and donated by Japanese artists living outside of the country.