The machine was signed for at Drupa, after much consideration from Colourgraphic managing director Vince Scardarella, who looked at machines from a number of different manufacturers.

It was installed in early July and is listed at a hardware-only starting price of just less than £75,000.

Laminating equipment has also been installed this week.

Scardarella said: “This took a little while as we were waiting for the product to finally come through because when we properly started looking, Canon hadn’t made the 10000 commercially available yet.

“Being the loyal Canon customers we are, we stalled the decision on upgrading until the machine was finally available to us.

“There were cheaper options and new machines that had come out with different advantages but overall we pretty much concluded from the testing that the machine prints right for us.”

The C10000 replaces a seven-year-old imagePress C6000 and joins a smaller imagePress C700, installed last year. It prints at 100ppm and takes a range of different substrates up to 350gsm.

“It’s probably a little early to tell its best features but the testing shows that registration, back-up and colour management and control is far better. The true test will be running it for a few months and seeing how we go,” added Scardarella.

The purchase represents a further move into the digital market for the Bordon, Hampshire-based printer, which Scardarella said now takes approximately 35% of its orders from clients wanting digital work. 

On the litho side, it runs a five-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster 74 CD.

Last year, the business purchased a Morgana DigiBook 450 PUR binder and an AutoCreaser Pro 50.

Scardarella said there are no plans to bring in new staff or increase shift numbers, as the £2m-turnover company already runs double-day shifts.

Colourgraphic Arts employs 15 staff and is looking to increase turnover by around 15% by the end of this financial year, Scardarella said.