The family-run business said its Heidelberg XL105-5XL, which replaced an eight-colour Heidelberg 102 six weeks ago, has improved print set-up times, increased capacity and enabled the company to take on more commercial work, including magazines and brochures.

The Cuffley-based company paid £650,000 for the second hand kit, which offers print speeds of up to 18,000sph and increased maximum sheet size of 750mm x 1,050mm. The device was supplied by White Horse Machinery. 

The XL105-5XL was one of a small number installed in the UK allowing direct print on to boards up to 750 micron, according to commercial director Stuart Bennett.

“The ability to increase our capacity and to be able to expand into the packaging market enables us to diversify our offering and expand our client base,” he explained.

“We make a lot of calendars and have recently picked up lots of packaging work. Both involve printed sheet work and the new Heidelberg allows us to print on heavier-weight material and at faster speeds. It should pay for itself in not much more than a year.”

The 70-staff, £7m-turnover business is part of a group comprising five arms including print, marketing, creative, digital and display. Bennett said he aimed to break the £10m mark within three or four years.

It is the firm’s second Heidelberg press in 18 months. It took delivery of a second-hand eight-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 102 at its 1,859sqm premises at the end of 2014. 

The business has also appointed a new commercial print manager as well as an additional warehouse employee taken on to manage increased business.

One of the first items to roll off the new Heidelberg XL105-5XL was a 2017 calendar created by promotional calendar firm Allan+Bertram, showing exclusive artwork by emerging UK artist Swarez.