Shares in Comeleon have soared by over 30% to 215p after Nokia approved its e-comeleon printing method.


In a statement, the company said: Comeleon is very pleased to announce its success in passing the Nokia Process Audit that took place on 6 February. Subject to product conformity, the directors believe that on completion of contracts, Comeleon will be fully Nokia-approved.


Comeleon marketing manager David Roberts confirmed that Nokia would be the first company to adopt e-comeleon, but said details concerning e-comeleon were under wraps as it was still patent pending.


Its a way of producing high-definition, four-colour images onto three-dimensional objects. Our method gets over a lot of the limitations that have previously existed, said Roberts.


Comeleon floated on the London Stock Exchange on 14 December at 165p per share.


Roberts said: We were over-subscribed at the initial floatation and bucked the trend regarding technology companies.


We were supposed to raise 7.5m but we got around 10.4m.


Comeleon is currently based in Stanley, County Durham, but will move to new 4,000m2 premises in Durham at the end of the month.


Roberts said that the company planned to move into the US, Asian and European markets in the long term.


The firm launched last year and said it would print digitally onto plastic mobile phone covers, computer mice, laptop computers and electronic games (PrintWeek, 17 November 2000).


Story by John Davies