The Washington-based point-of-sale specialist also bought a Scitex Vision XLjet taking its total spend to nearly 1m. Both machines have been installed, with the Corjet currently going through testing and will be fully operational by the end of the month.

We had kept a close eye on the flatbed digital market. We felt that the advantage of the Corjet was that feeding and stacking is fully automated, said simpsongroup managing director Mark Simpson.

He added that the additional kit will make production three times faster and halve the running costs. The Corjet and XLjet will run alongside existing equipment including a Svecia SAMX five-colour in-line automatic screen press.

The six-colour Corjet runs at speeds up to 150m2 per hour and prints at resolutions of 600dpi. It targets the point-of-sale, indoor displays and exhibition signage markets and can print on a range of substrates including corrugated cardboards.

As well as being fully automated, the Corjet differs from other flatbed digital presses by using water-based inks rather than UV-cured inks. This technology was developed by Scitex Visions sister company Aprion before it was absorbed into the firm last year.

The eight-colour XLjet is 3.2m wide and can print at resolutions of 720dpi and at speeds of 70m2 to 80m2 per hour.

The new equipment will allow us to react faster to clients demands, added Simpson.

Simpsongroup specialises in printing Point-of-Sale material for retailers and brands. Its clients include Marks & Spencer, KP Skips and Mini Cheddars.

According to Scitex Vision one other Corjet has already been ordered by another UK point-of-sale firm, which will receive the Drupa display machine directly from the show, and a corrugated packaging firm is also close to signing up for the machine.

Story by Philip Chadwick