The Saltash, Cornwall-based business took on a new B1 Agfa Avalon N8 around three months ago to replace an older Avalon LF model.

The device is being used to produce plates both for the new Komori, which was bought to accommodate increasing demand for B1 work from the company’s customer base, and an existing 10-colour Manroland 700 HiPrint perfector.

Managing director Sam Shannon said: “We had a semi-automatic plate loading system before and we wanted a fully automatic system because we are feeding two hungry presses now.

“It’s gone in pretty smoothly. Previously we would have had to have somebody there manning it and loading plates; we used to be able to get 25 plates on the semi-automatic loader whereas this will load 300 to 400.

“It smooths out the pinch points and it has improved our plate production by about 35%.”

He added: “Agfa have always been good from the sales side and its Apogee front-end is also really good. We wanted everything to dovetail in.

“There was an element of training but when you stay with suppliers it is more straightforward because it’s an improvement of what you had there before. And these machines are so simple nowadays; they are plugged in and then the workflow feeds them.”

From 2,500sqm premises, Deltor also operates an Agfa Anapurna wide-format printer, an MBO K8 combination folder installed in 2017 and a full line-up of finishing kit including perfect and PUR binding, folding and laminating.

The business turns over £3.2m, up from £2.8m two years ago, and is estimating this to increase to £4m for 2019.