The machine, which was installed on Saturday (23 March) and began running today (28 March), is the second of its kind in the UK, and the first in central London.

It can print on any substrate up to a maximum size of 2.5mx4m and a thickness of 50mm. It has nine ink channels including white ink and matt and gloss spot UV.

The Impala will run alongside two HP Indigo machines and a number of wide-format presses.

According to TOD managing director Andy Davis, it opens up a host of doors for the Great Portland Street-based printer.

He told PrintWeek: "Our HPs can't go to the kind of thickness we can get on this machine; we can print on things like glass, metal, plastics and even things like plates. We have done a few things like this before, but it has involved sticking things together and doing it in a very old fashioned way.

"We believe this machine will treble our service portfolio. In theory, we can spot-UV a 4x2.5m board or use it as a secondary finishing device for work done on the Indigos. It has unlimited possibilities."

TOD currently provides around £2.25m of Tangent's overall turnover and employs 20 staff.