PIMS has installed four Xerox DocuColor 2060 digital colour presses at its London and Peterborough plants to meet demand for short-run work.


The presses, which include Fiery EX2000 RIPs, will work alongside 11 black-and-white Xerox DocuTechs.


"The black-and-white market is great and we want to build on it to move into other areas," said PIMS marketing manager Kim Sturgess.


The direct marketing firm also uses litho printing and has an assortment of eight Heidelberg presses, as well as a Diamond Jet envelope printing press.


"We are finding that success comes down to how you use both digital and litho together," said Sturgess.


The 600x600dpi 2060s will enable PIMS to produce more personalised marketing material using variable data printing.


PIMS has an on-going annual investment plan of 1m-2m, but it couldn't disclose any more investment for the immediate future.


"We're looking at a lot of options, but we tend to take on Xerox's latest products", said Sturgess. PIMS has been working with Xerox for a number of years.


PIMS' workforce has increased from 120 to 150 staff since the beginning of the year. In the last two months it has taken on two print operators and three staff at the design studio, the department that runs the 2060's. Six more print sales staff have also been taken on.


PIMS also offers PR support services, finishing - including polywrapping, enclosing and envelope overprinting - and fulfilment in-house.


Story by Jeremy Allen