The sales and support initiative will operate as part of the group's sign and display division, which incorporates three companies: A&P Display, Cox Plastics and Paragon Imaging Materials.

Robert Horne Group managing director Toby Marchant said the company had realised there was a strong opportunity to add to its service offerings.

The firm will now sell hardware alongside its consumables to help address the 15% annual growth in wide-format printing.

"Using our strengths, we can bring something new and exciting to this market," said Marchant.

To aid this, Digital Solutions has signed a hardware distribution agreement with four strategic partners: Agfa, Vutek, Roland and Seal Graphics.

Digital Solutions general manager Clint Green, who was previously general manager of Paragon Imaging Materials and has 25 years' experience with companies such as Oc, Xerox and Gretag Imaging, will head up the company's 15-strong  team.

Green was clear on the firm's intentions and said that its key challenges in the wide-format market were the need for a complete product range, and strong service and support.

A new demonstration unit has been housed at Robert Horne's Northampton base.

The unit contains wide-format printers such as a Roland VersaCamm and Agfa Grand Sherpa Universal, an HP DesignJet 5000, Epson 10000 and a Seal 62S laminator.

Story by Andy Scott