Horton managing director Michael Burrowes said the two parties were due to meet in Leeds on 28 January, for what he termed as mediation.

Both parties had conducted their own independent technical assessments, which Burrowes said had concluded that, the machine was not fit for the purpose it was bought for.

The 500,000 five-colour Rapida was installed in 2001, but less than six months after its installation, Hortons claimed they had been unable to make the press work properly.

At one time we had an electrician and an engineer camped out in our canteen for six weeks, Burrowes said.

At the time KBA UK managing director Christian Knapp said there had been no abnormal difficulties, but then admitted there had been some initial issues, but nothing out of the ordinary.

If mediation fails to solve the dispute the two parties will meet again in court on a date to be decided in the summer.

KBA was unavailable for comment.

by Andy Scott