The facility, developed with Key Equipment Finance, will be offered through customised agreements and work either on the basis of purchase by lease or consumables usage, otherwise known as "bundling."

DuPont marketing manager, Pier Luigi Sassanelli, said the product was aimed at customers who wanted to install new technologies but not to go through a complex financing process to get access to money.

"Although the UK is the most advanced in terms of financing, one of the things we hear is that it is becoming harder to capitalise assets," he said.

Other firms who might be keen to take up the deal are those in developing nations, according to Sassanelli. "Customers in Eastern Europe may have trouble getting financing from the banks," he added.

In other news, the firm said that it was moving the date of its 7th Grand Prix Cyrel and International Flexo-Print-Pack Congress forward from November 3-5 to spring 2007.