The chemistry-free direct imaging press has been installed at family-owned Neon Graphics' Walthamstow, east London, retail premises.

Joint owner Javed Dadabhoy said: "We wanted to expand the litho side of our business and take control of it in-house.

"We knew it was going to be a big step for us to do our own four-colour printing because, although I was previously a production manager, neither I nor any of my staff had any hands-on experience of operating a litho press.

"It was one of the reasons why we chose the DI digital offset press because the plates are imaged on-press, so we didn't need to worry about having to make the plates as a separate process."

Dadabhoy added that the environmental credentials of using a waterless press were also a key selling point for the machine.

Neon Graphics has now joined the Waterless Printing Association and is hoping that its membership will allow it to expand its geographical reach.