The building, adding 4,400sqm of floorspace to the manufacturing site, will be complete by October 2023.

RMGT’s expansion puts paid to the idea that litho printing technology is due to fall out of use, according to Mark Stribley, joint managing director of UK RMGT dealer MPL.

He said: “This is great news for all businesses associated with RMGT presses, and proof, if any were needed, that litho is certainly not dead - in fact, for RMGT, it’s growing faster than ever.

“The current factory is working very effectively, and we are certainly still able to add new orders from UK printers to the ever-growing list of RMGT users, but the directors in Japan are looking to the future and are seeing further growth potential.”

Research published in June 2022 by market analysts Smithers showed that digital press technology would gain market share from litho print, but that litho will continue to expand, particularly in emerging markets.

Stribley added: “Particularly busy areas of the world currently include China, India and North America, but the UK and Europe, as well as some Asian countries, are all seeing growth for RMGT’s ultra-reliable press products.”

RMGT was formed in 2014 through a merger of the sheetfed offset press operations of Ryobi and Mitsubishi Heavy industries Printing & Packaging Machinery; MPL has served as its UK dealer since 2010.