The new press, capable of 52m/min full-colour production speed and 1,200x1,200dpi, was installed in March.

Bought directly from Durst following a visit to the Italian manufacturer’s Brixen headquarters, the Tau has helped Vale Labels expand its market reach while remaining a purely digital printer.

Vale Labels' director, Matthew Riches, told Printweek: “We wanted to increase our printing capacity and support customers who required longer runs.

“Our team have expertise in digital print, so we didn’t want to go down the flexographic printing route.”

While Vale Labels did consider other machines, it was the Tau’s high production speeds that won over the Wellington printer.

Riches said: “We have HPs which we have retained, work really well, and remain a key part of our set up. 

“However, our focus on the new purchase was around inkjet technologies to further increase our speed and capacity on longer-run jobs.”

The Tau has now taken its place alongside Vale Labels’ HP Indigo WS6900 340mm engine and 350mm ABG Digicon series 3.

Having spoken to all the major suppliers, Durst came out as the top choice for the new press, Riches said.

“We felt their machine produced the highest quality inkjet prints, and we were pleased with their approach as a company. They have a great focus on support, quality and innovation.”

Simon Cosh, Durst UKI’s labels business development manager, also commented: “We are delighted that Vale Labels chose our variable, versatile and highly productive Tau technology to power its ongoing growth.

“The increased capacity for high quality labels this investment delivers will support its production needs well into the future. It will provide operational confidence to enhance its relationships with leading brands and expand its service offering.”