Tech8 said that the move was intended as an antidote to manufacturers' warranty programmes, which it claimed were littered with disclaimers, limitations and strict conditions.

The third-party service company added that the only precondition governing its schemes, which extend beyond printers to pre-press and finishing equipment, is that the machine must be a working model and fully operational.

"Users of wide-format printers can now rest assured that any equipment that is outside the manufacturer's warranty terms can benefit from a highly-skilled independent team of specialists," a spokesman said.

Tech8's cover for equipment starts from £1.60/day and payment can be made in monthly installments. There is no limit to the number of claims, and all parts, labour and travelling charges are included, the company said.

For more information, visit www.tech8.eu.