The East Anglia company invested around £150,000 in an XP1 UV screen printing line, supplied by Huddersfield-based kit distributor Thieme KPX last year.

Coatings Direct's machine was installed at its Norwich facility last August, and according to managing director Ian Neal, the company is already on its way to adding a second machine.

He said: "The SPS is 50% faster than the machine it replaced. We deal with one very large client producing book covers and have a 100% contract to handle their spot UV.

"We can offer the client quicker turnaround times to go to publishers with and they are gaining more business because of that.

"It is sat here between two other machines and it makes them look very slow – its makeready speed is another advantage. We are already in talks about adding a second SPS."

The SPS Vitessa XP1 press handles sheets from 250x300mm to 520x720mm at a speed of 4,400sph.

The Norwich facility specialises in high-speed, high-value spot UV work. It runs alongside a sister site in Bury St Edmunds – a former Celloglas facility purchased two years ago, which handles general commercial trade work, Neal said.

However, he added that further investment was expected at the Norwich site, which would see it becoming more of a special effects facility.

He said: "We are looking at B1 die-cutting there and various other additions, including specialist varnishing. We are looking at a lot of things for both sites very seriously this year."

Coatings Direct has a turnover of £3.5m and employs 55 staff across its two facilities.

Also see:
Thieme KPX adds SPS kit to its range