The Nottingham-based sheetfed firm prints short-run brochures for firms such as Jaguar and Bentley.

"Mitsubishi Lithographic Presses (MLP) gives good service," said joint managing director Andy Baxter (pictured right). "The kit will help keep us top of the high end of the market and ensure we remain a major industry player."

His 30-staff firm bought its first Mitsubishi, a five-colour Diamond 3000LS with coater, three years ago after it switched from being an all-Komori house.

Thomas Doliwa, managing director of MLP UK, said Central Colour had a high number of changeovers and the new 3000LS saved it five minutes on every job. Average runs on the kit, which has a list price of 1.2m, were around 2,500.

"The 16,000sph semiautomatic press has a quick-start inking system, which shortens makeready times dramatically," said Doliwa.

Reliability was crucial, added Doliwa, and an override system on the kit reduced the impact of press glitches. "The worst thing in production is a machine breaking down, which is rare with a Mitsubishi," he said.

"Even if the electronic system fails, a mechanical override means you don't have to stop production while you wait for an engineer."

Central Colour, which recently celebrated its 20th birthday, combines print with CTP and finishing for posters, leaflets and direct mail.