The 1.6m-wide device, which the Maidstone firm bought for around £16,000 from London-based reseller Perfect Colours, was installed at its 279sqm premises earlier this week. It has replaced an HP L26500, which was part exchanged.
The 360 was launched last year along with the lower volume 310 and 330 options. It can print at up to 91sqm/hr in single-pass mode and features an 8in touchscreen, double-sided printing and automatic ICC profiling.
Black Lion Press director Mark Stokes said: “This is slightly larger than the machine it has replaced and it’s drying immediately, which is helping us as we’re not having to do any finishing thereafter.
“We’ll use the Latex 360 to produce posters and we’re trying to do more and more signage work as well. We’ve already got laminating and mounting services in-house so with this machine we can carry out a signage service.”
The business also operates two B3 litho presses; a five-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster 52 and a two-colour Heidelberg GTO, as well as a Ricoh Pro C651EX digital printer and in-house finishing services including folding, cutting and bookletmaking.
The firm has also ordered a Matrix B2 laminator from Vivid Laminating Technologies, which is currently being built.
Black Lion Press has eight staff and a turnover of around £600,000. It produces items including signage, banners, stationery, brochures and POS for customers including trade printers, small start-ups and blue-chip companies.
