And not content with that first, the machine will be the first B2 press Heidelberg has supplied with its CutStar reel sheeter.

"They told me they'd never make a B2 CutStar and then the drawing of my press turned up with a CutStar on it," said Browns CTP managing director Andrew Brown (pictured).

The press will be delivered in September to a new 2,600m2 factory the firm is building two miles from its present site. The CD 74 will replace a five colour Speedmaster 74 with coater and will be joined by the firm's two other presses a CD 102-5L and a SM 52-5L.

Brown said that a B1 long perfector wouldn't "have been the right move".

"This give us B1 productivity with B2 flexibility," he added.

The press will be highly automated with a technotrans ink.trac ink pumping system and Prinect Management Gate giving the potential to link to the firm's Tharstern MIS. It will also, like the firm's existing presses, use ImageControl closed loop colour control.

Story by Barney Cox