The Vutek h3 was installed at the company's Reading plant at the end of October and replaced three HP Scitex FB500 UV flatbed systems, taking on all the work from its predecessors as well as a number of jobs from Glendining’s HP Latex devices. It was supplied by Shrewsbury-based distributor CMYUK.

It was selected following a review of Glendining’s existing equipment, backed up by an interest in seeing a UV hybrid machine work alongside its existing UV kit.

Operations director Chris Lake said: “The h3 was described by our technical print co-ordinator Andrei Laurentiu as ‘the Lamborghini of the print world’. It is truly impressive in form and function.

“We have always had to compromise either speed or quality with other printers. If you print fast, the quality suffers and if you print quality, it’s slow, but not with the h3. We were seeing a printer being pushed to speeds that we hadn’t even dreamt were possible while still maintaining great quality.

“The hybrid printer model has always suited our operation and the h3 seemed to address all the issues that we had previously experienced.”

A 3.2m-wide system, the EFI Vutek h3 can take substrates up to 50mm thick and print up to 74 1.2x2.4m boards per hour. Its multi-roll capabilities enable it to handle two 1.52m rolls.

The new printer comprises the second part of a £500,000 spend with CMYUK, which began in December 2018 with the arrival of an Esko Kongsberg X24 cutting device.

With turnover currently standing at £4.7m, Glendining will head into 2020 with a focus on growth and development while maintaining affordable prices and reliable services for its customers.

Founded in 1979 and sold to graphics specialist VGL in 2014, the company currently employs 42 members of staff. It runs as a separate entity to its parent, carrying equipment including two remaining HP Scitex devices, an FB550 and an FB750, three HP Latex systems and a Fuji Acuity Advance Select X2 flatbed.