The two new Goss towers, which take its total to six, will increase capacity at its Thorpe Print Centre by 50% and improve "colour availability".

The investment also includes three newspaper folders and 10 reelstands and will create 14 new jobs.

Archant Print managing director Peter Dodds said the new press line was needed as Archant's publishing division was planning to launch more titles. It currently produces 70 publications, including the East Anglian Daily Times and Evening News.

"Some 3.5m papers and supplements are now printed each week. The additional capacity is designed to address advertising clients' increasing need for more colour," added Dodds.

The group opened the 25m facility in 1995 and additional capacity was factored into the centre's design. This means that the foundations are ready to accept the 88-tonne towers, which will be fully installed by December 2004.

The new capacity will also include digital inking and automatic register control, which will be retrofitted to the existing presses.

Post-press operations will receive a boost with a 50% increase in supplement and magazine inserting capabilities, and improved efficiency through an automated palletising plant and a second automated stitch and trim magazine finishing line.

Story by Rachel Barnes