The Cheadle, Cheshire-based company opted for the wide-format digital inkjet machine to handle work that was previously run on its screen and litho set-up, as well as to take some jobs from slower digital kit.

Director Paul Whitehurst said the M-Press Tiger, which was supplied by Thieme KPX, "offered a clear cost advantage when compared with every other digital solution we looked at".

The press will handle all the substrates currently used on the printer's other equipment and is capable of printing on material of 1,660x2,660mm in size and stock weights up to 3,000gsm.

The Tiger configuration features 64 dual printheads and can print gloss, semi-gloss or matt.

Cestrian operations director Phil Reynolds claimed that the low ink consumption, coupled with high production speeds, would allow the company to print longer digital print runs than were possible before, and "at a quality that competes with litho in the POP/POS market".

He said: "We anticipate that the Tiger will produce work that was previously done using screen, litho and slower digital systems, but with much faster turnarounds."