ESP Colour has invested 1.7m in the UK's first eight-colour Komori Lithrone 40P perfecting press.


The press, with a maximum sheet size of 720x1,030mm, replaces a six-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster 102P, and will be installed next month.


ESP Colour sales director Chris Tester said that the 40P was central to the company's plan to increase the size of the business by 25%.


"The 40P is extremely flexible, we'll be able to offer four-back-four work, or six, seven, or eight colours straight," he added.


Tester said the 40P was chosen after ESP Colour managing director Paul Bradley saw one in action at Valbor in Strasbourg.


"You can change a full set of plates in eight minutes and it converts from straight to perfecting mode automatically."