The investment follows on from the group's 2m spend last year, which included a six-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster CD102 with extended coating, to up productivity in its print division by 50%.

During trials prior to the show the ability of the ST 350 to be handled by one operator, even at peak times, was key in the firm's decision to opt for the Heidelberg.

"We ran a 30,000-run job on it and with just me operating it we could reach speeds of 8,000sph and with one person helping that rose to 11,700sph," said production director Rob Shaw.

The unit, which replaces a six-station Muller Martini, was configured with six-stations plus cover feeder, even though the firm will generally only need to use four, "to maximise flexibility".

Story by Darryl Danielli