Polestar pledged to put customers "at the beginning, middle and end of our plans", during the official launch of its new Cerutti 35RS gravure press at its Purnell site.


Chris Pavlosky, managing director of Polestars News & Consumer division, said: "The economic climate, declining ad revenues and the exchange rate do not create a happy environment to invest, but when the going gets tough, the tough get going."


Senior print production personnel from the UK and abroad attended the event, including representatives from Great Universal Stores, Grattan, Ikea, The Guardian, Trinity Mirror, The Telegraph, The Express, H Bauer and a major continental supermarket group.


"This is a key milestone in the development of Polestar, and a recognition that without you, our customers, this installation would not be possible," Pavlosky added.


The press demonstration included son et lumire, and aerial acrobatics from a gymnast suspended in a hoop over the press hall.


The 10m Cerutti can print 72 A4 pages per impression, has a top speed of 55,000iph and inline stitching. Polestar expects its typical production speed to be 50,000iph. The press is fitted with a number of innovations to cut job changeover times and reduce the manpower needed to change cylinders.


"This gives higher uptime on the press, making it more competitive against web offset on shorter runs," said Ceruttis senior vice president of sales and marketing, Riccardo Berrone.


Polestar group sales and marketing director John Ashfield stated: "The UK used to be an island, but now, even if were not at the heart of Europe, we are at least competing with the heart of Europe.


"We have to compete and win against the best in the world and are only limited by our ambition and will to deliver products that customers want to buy."


Story by Jo Francis