The company was made UK and Ireland agent for post-press kit made by the Italian company SCS Automaberg.

Products covered by the deal include the EasyFly inline single-knife trimming machine, unveiled in the UK for the first time at Ipex. The kit costs around 160,000.

It handles face trimming of book blocks or soft-cover books with flaps, and Friedheim will handle UK and Eire service, training and spare parts as well as sales.

Adding SCS Automaberg to a portfolio that includes MBO, OMG, Schneider, H+H and Palmides extended Friedheims post-press kit line up, said Friedheim managing director Peter Morris.

SCS Automaberg manufactures equipment for soft- and hard-cover books and also makes cooling, cutting and flow-regulation systems.

Meanwhile, Friedheim has plucked the name of Tony Copley out of a prize-draw hat. The Bradford-based engineer at St Ives Direct won a free service on all his firms MBO folders and OMG stackers.

The draw was introduced to promote Friedheims redesigned website, and future prize draws are planned on a bimonthly basis, said the firm.