"We invested in the roll-to-roll side of the business as we have been producing more and more skins and banners," said managing director Bob Charles. "We also needed to increase our capacity in preparation for some forthcoming tenders."

A Fujifilm Uvistar Pro8 has been installed at its Biggin Hill site, alongside the firm’s 5m-wide HP Scitex Expedio 5300, which was relocated from its Penge site. The finishing equipment for the 5m machines, including two welding lines, were also relocated to Biggin Hill. To house the new equipment the site has been more than doubled in size, with an additional 1,250sqm taking the total area to 1,950sqm.

Soon to join the roll-to-roll machines will be the firm’s first digital press, a Xerox iGen4, which it is installing to widen the range of print it can offer to its agency clients to include direct mail. It is expected by the end of April.

"Posters used to be 100% of our business but that is changing," said Charles. "Since we got digital equipment, including the Inca S20, we have diversified and posters are now 50%. We expect the iGen4 will have a similar impact further expanding the range of products and services we can offer."

Charles added that the firm was committed to operating from two sites with the KBA Rapida 205 large format litho press and flatbed digital remaining in Penge. "We couldn’t afford the cost of moving the 205, both financially and from the point of view of the months of disruption and lost production," he said.