"It's absolutely essential to keep up with the latest technology," said Chars Display managing director David Rosewell (pictured). "The Thieme 5000 series is the best there is so the decision to invest was really a no-brainer."

The aim of the spend is to help maintain and increase Char's PoP display market. "We are poised now to make a renewed bid for the large-format cardboard engineering and poster work," said Rosewell.

"The Thieme has already shown that it can produce in a day what our previous line-up took a week to turn out," he added.

The Shoreditch-based firm's investment in the 2,100x1,550mm multi-colour press also led to a raft of changes for its 2,200m2 two-storey factory.

"A factory on two floors is not the absolute ideal," said Rosewell. "But this location has been so good for us."

During the modifications it also added a new computer-to-screen system, automatic screen-wash and a lift to carry screens to the presses.

Story by Darryl Danielli