Jarvis Porter is looking to buy UV flexo and digital printing gear in a Europe-wide spree that could add up to 3m of kit.


Managing director Gary Kenning said the first 1.5m investment would go into its 140-staff Leeds base.


He could not say when or which models JP would buy, but confirmed it was looking at Xeikon and Indigo digital machines.


Gallus and Nilpeter were front runners for UV flexo, although he added: "There's newer kit on the market with very quick makeready.


"Just putting two machines in at Leeds can't possibly be the end game. We have customers in Paris who want UV flexo and we have opportunities in Utrecht."


This could add another 1.5m to the kit bill of JP, which recently announced half-yearly turnover of nearly 30m.


Its Leeds set-up has been restructured from four operations to one with around 10 job losses. The aim is to improve flexibility and cost-effectiveness.


A management reshuffle saw Kenning enlisted from information management firm Lason, where he was divisional managing director. Around the same time sales and marketing director Peter Brady was recruited from Simpson Label Company in Edinburgh where he headed digital operations.


"Market dynamics change, and if you sit still and think you've got it all under control you can end up being overtaken," said Kenning.


Story by Jez Abbott