In addition, JPI has filed another two patents relating to the plate technology, which uses pulsed lasers to switch the hydrophilicity of an uncoated metal surface.

John Proctor, business manager at the college, said: "JPI has visited us several times with ‘miracle' printing plates that they exposed with lasers at Liverpool University.

"The technology does indeed work and it works well. We were pleased to be the first people in the world to independently verify the press performance."

The Print Academy ran the plates on a standard Heidelberg press using normal inks and founts.

Proctor described the test results as "very impressive" and added that the plates behaved normally on press, despite not having a coating.

Rod Potts, of JPI, added that while there was further testing to be carried out, talks were progressing with companies that have the financial and operational scale to commercialise the plate technology on a global basis.