According to PPG managing director David Gask, the new six- and 10-colour machines will help the Leicester-based company further improve its environmental credentials by bringing in alcohol-free printing.

He said: “Our desire to become alcohol-free facilitated this move. We have got our alcohol down to around 4% from 14% since 2004, but our machines are aging and technology has moved on.”

KBA has also vowed to cover the carbon emissions produced by the manufacture and installation of the presses through the purchase of carbon credits.

Gask said one of the things that drew his company to the KBA was that plans were already in place to cut down carbon emissions.

He added: “We could have chosen a partner that did not care about the environmental impacts of the machine and was prepared to just write out a bigger cheque to cover the carbon emissions. But KBA have mitigated their carbon emissions as much as they could before investing in the credits.”

KBA is now planning to offer the scheme to other companies looking to invest in their presses.

PPG is currently speaking to paper, ink and consumable suppliers about boosting the firm’s environmental credentials.

The six-colour plus coater KBA press is set to arrive next month, while the 10-colour will be installed towards the end of 2008.