The 2016 PrintWeek Company of the Year Award-winner will take delivery of the first machine in January and the second in March, with the possibility of a third one being ordered later in the year if performance is good.

Two older Stahlfolders and two MBO folders have been replaced in Buxton’s post-press department.

Buxton managing director Kirk Galloway said that with Buxton printing in excess of 60m paginated publications a year, the folders had to meet its “exacting requirements”.

“Having witnessed the advances in technology of the new Stahlfolder TH 82-P first hand at Drupa 2016 and following extensive paper trials in Germany, we believed the time was now right to invest and maximise the latest technologies available,” said Galloway.

“We were impressed not only with the operating speed, efficiency and ease of use but also its ability to maintain realistic operating speeds whilst shingling, which contributes to a substantially increased output with no detriment to the vulnerable substrate.

“For our current requirements, the Stahlfolder TH 82-P appears to tick all the boxes, so time will tell.”

Launched at Drupa, the Stahlfolder 82-P can fold at a maximum speed of 230m/min, taking a maximum sheet size of 820x113mm. It has six buckle plates, a touchscreen control system, and takes paper at weights ranging between 70gsm and 250gsm.

Galloway said the investment might result in the shuffling of some staff.

"This latest initiative may mean redeployment for some members of staff but this also provides a valuable opportunity to learn new and additional skills,” he said.

Derbyshire-located Buxton Press produces 650 regular titles for more than 400 publishers. It runs four Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106 B1 long-perfectors each with CutStar, in eight- and 10-colour formats, and three stitching lines.

Last year, the 124-staff outfit turned over £17.6m. Galloway said he predicts 2016/17 to be its best year “possibly by a mile”.