The Lithrone S29H replaces a five-colour Heidelberg SM74 at the previously all-Heidelberg house and is the centrepiece of a spend that included Accura MIS software, upgrading to Apogee Suite 6, plus a Horizon StitchLiner.

Director Alan Bunter said that the Horizon machine, which it bought last year, highlighted to the company the merits of Japanese machinery, with the deal clinched at a demonstration.

"We saw it change jobs automatically from running 625micron folding box board at 15,000sph, which is horrible stuff, to lightweight 70g paper at 16,000sph, in what couldn't have been more than 10 minutes. All the operator had to do was to change the paper. I'm like a man converted," he said.

He added that the Komori, which has now been installed and will be commissioned this week, was the perfect fit between its Heidelberg options, which would have been either a Speedmaster which he viewed as little more than a replacement for what they already had, or an XL75 which he said was "too expensive and complicated".

The  Lithrone S29H, which is claimed to be the first in the county, joins a decade-old two-colour Heidelberg perfector and a Xerox DocuColor at the £1.2m-turnover company, which offers everything from design through to mailing and warehousing work in-house, with the exception of laminating.

Bunter said that financing the purchase was relatively straightforward, despite the difficult economic environment, with four banks fighting for the business.

Remous specialises in taking orders online through a number of websites that target general commercial print, instant quote work, short-run books, packaging and newsletters.

Meanwhile, Komori benefited from another West Country win as Sherborne, Dorset-based Shelleys the Printers installed a four-colour Spica 429 perfector because of its ability to run alcohol-free.