Jetrion president Kenneth Stack said: "A digital printing process that can withstand the harsh requirements of metal forming can only be achieved with this kind of strategic partnership."

The two firms claim to have solved the outstanding technological barriers to digital printing on metals before their deal.

They are working on technology that they claim will "enable development of the world's fastest ink-jet colour printer for volume production of high-quality metal containers".

Jetrion has also launched new ranges of ink-jet inks.