The Rotherham-based company, which also received an enhancement to its Agfa Portal system as part of the deal, expects to install the two Avalon platesetters in the next 12 weeks in a straight swap for its two existing Xcalibur large-format platesetters.
Operations director David Lightfoot said the company's existing pre-press kit was coming to the end of its life and the new hardware and front end – as well as the Energy Elite plates which are suitable for long print runs without baking –would improve productivity.
"As a leading magazine and catalogue printer we are working to demanding timelines and Agfa has shown over many years that we can depend on them to not only provide the most efficient technology but also service and support, which is second to none," he said.
Agfa Graphics UK managing director Laurence Roberts described the buy as "a major vote of confidence in our ability to provide this prestigious customer with the products and services it requires for many years to come".
The £1m pre-press investment follows Garnett Dickinson's £20m move to a 12,000sqm factory in July 2006, which has led to a 75% boost in production and a 30% drop in energy usage.
Lightfoot said he expected to make further significant energy savings over the next six years through the use of the bake-free Energy Elite plates.
Garnett Dickinson in 1m Agfa pre-press spend
Garnett Dickinson has signed a 1m deal with Agfa that includes two new Avalon 24 VLF platesetters, an upgrade to the atest version of Agfa's Apogee workflow and a six-year contract for Agfa's Energy Elite plate.
