The order is a significant coup for Goss International, as both of York Mailing’s print sites are currently equipped with seven Manroland Web Systems presses.

The 48pp short-grain Sunday 4000 will be installed at York’s Pindar site in Scarborough next summer, and is due to be operational by October 2013. The total investment is understood to be in the region of £7m-£8m.

York Mailing group managing director Mike Newbould Jnr said the £63m turnover company – which has effectively doubled in size through last year’s purchase of the Pindar web offset business – was excited about the future potential in the web offset market. Deciding upon the fresh investment had involved an in-depth evaluation process over the course of six months.

"The Sunday 4000 came out top by a long way for its technical capabilities but also because we felt far more confident in Goss as a long-term partner for the future," he stated.

The press has a 435mm cut-off and will be the first Goss commercial web in the country to be fitted with its DigiRail digital inking system. It has also been specified with a Goss Ecoset energy-efficient dryer and Contiweb FD paster.

The Scarborough facility specialises in high-quality catalogues.

Goss International UK sales director John Chambers said the deal was "a watershed" and he was delighted to win the confidence of such a significant new customer. "Our 48pp press is 2,060mm wide, so you can actually get 56pp out of it on some smaller formats. It’s gapless and pinless so there are paper savings too," he said.

Chambers said the DigiRail inking, which has been adapted from an established technology used on Goss newspaper presses, provided a number of benefits. "Instead of pumping ink into an open fountain it’s injected through smaller modules.

This means the ink flow is controlled absolutely precisely, so you don’t use as much ink or dampening. It’s a win-win."

Goss is ending the year in buoyant form, having recently secured another UK order with a 16pp M600 at Headley Brothers in Kent.