Allison, who has worked with a number of printers including RR Donnelley & Sons and Jarrold Printing, took up her new role on Monday (7 June).

The appointment completes the restructuring of the company's senior management team, put in place since chief executive Ian Foyster joined the company two years ago.

"Susie had an excellent reputation at Donnelley and Jarrolds, and her experience lends itself to our business," said Foyster.

Foyster said that with the new press he expected the company's transaction rate to treble, as the firm moves more into consumer book publishing with faster turnarounds and shorter runs.

"Susie's job is to ensure that we can process three times as many orders and produce the books on time, without any disruption to our customer base," said Foyster.

The 96pp Timson T48 press is the first of its format to be sold in Europe, and will be operational within two months. It is supported by an Agfa Xcalibur large-format platesetter and has a finished book size of 234x153mm.

Allison joins manufacturing manager Trevor Gee, non-executive chairman John Holleran and sales and marketing director Harry Elson on the recently-recruited management team.

Foyster also reported that the firm's move to its new print plant on the outskirts of Beccles, which began on 13 March 2004, is going "extraordinarily well" and is now almost complete.

Problems hit the move recently when planning permission was granted for a building materials disposal plant next to the Clowes site (PrintWeek, 25 March 2004).

It was feared that dust from the plant could damage the presses in the printer's factory.

But Foyster revealed that local Labour MP Bob Blizzard had taken up the appeal against the plant, and that a row of 6m-high trees had been planted between the two sites.

Story by Josh Brooks