Howitt chief executive Nick Dixon (pictured centre) came to Ipex to shake hands on a deal for an iGen3 for its Howitt Digital arm in Kent.

The machine will join a Xerox DocuColor 8000 installed at the firm last October, a month after Howitt bought the business, which was previously known as ELR.

Dixon said the growth in the digital business had been "quite significant". "The run rate is currently 3m per annum and we want to get to 5m-7m quite quickly," he said.

Howitt Digital is set to move to new 2,000m2 premises in Edenbridge in May, where the iGen3 will be installed. "At the facility we move into we have the capacity to further enhance the equipment," said Howitt Digital director Chris Mallinson.

The firm has also launched a dynamic PDF-based online print on demand service called Howitt d-Print, which is part of its Howitt Vision suite of software products and enables clients to order and edit their print collateral online.

Paramount Print Group, the Manchester-based commercial litho printer, also signed for an iGen3 with Xerox UK director of graphic arts Peter Taylor.

Paramount managing Geraint Williams said the firm was seeking to add more value to its print offering, and in a 500,000 spend at Ipex had also bought XMPie personalisation software. The line, which will be commissioned in May, will be driven by a Creo front-end.

Paramount has contracted XL Training, a Xerox premier partner, to train its sales and account management staff with the new press.
Paramount will return to Ipex on Thursday "to spend yet more money," said Williams, "this time on finishing kit to service the iGen."

The firm will look at bookletmaking and other offline finishing kit.