Creation of the newly expanded team follows Sun Chemical’s 2006 acquisitions of two firms focused on packaging, the introduction of new product lines and spending on two new customer service centres in Derbyshire and Berkshire.

Peter Elliott (pictured), who heads up Sun Chemical UK’s commercial business, including sheetfed and heatset, said: “The expanded, dedicated sales and technical services team, coupled with the investment in our service centres and new product lines, has given us a firm footing to grow our business, which is dedicated on our commercial customers in an ever-changing marketplace.”

The firm said the changes were a response to the increasing need for quick response and delivery in the sheetfed commercial print sector, as opposed to the heatset sector where larger long-term accounts are more prevalent.

Sun Chemical's corporate vice-president and UK general manager Charles Murray added: “This re-energising of the UK offset structure is part of our wider growth and investment strategy within packaging and commercial.

“We can provide superior service to our growing customer base through a stronger emphasis on the commercial sector.”

In the past year, Sun Chemical bought Leeds-based graphic arts specialist Watt Gilchrist and London packaging design firm Parker Williams Design.

It has also spent £1.8m on its national distribution centre in South Normanton, Derbyshire, and completed an upgrade to its site in Slough, Berkshire.

New product lines have included the EOS High Speed four-colour, sheetfed offset process inks.