This entry-level water treatment system was launched at Northprint 2011 for users of B2, B3 and digital presses who need to control the hardness and pH balance of small volumes of water.

Calverts decided to replace an existing Arcade-supplied system with basic.r to eliminate water wastage. Whereas the previous system wasted a certain amount of water each time, the Technotrans unit does not, reported machine room manager Dave Bedwell.

He said: “We are a workers' co-operative and as part of this ethical approach to business, we pride ourselves on reducing our environmental footprint as much as possible. We are ISO 14001 accredited, use FSC papers and recycle everything we can. So anything we can get to make us a greener company we get.”

He added: “We have other Technotrans units, such as a fridge unit, and we believe Technotrans are the leading company for this kind of unit.”

Bedwell reported that, at £2,800, the system was more expensive than some other similar systems, which come in around the £1,800/£900 mark. But the company felt saving on water wastage was well worth the extra money. Bedwell said: “It’s like buying a decent car over a not so decent car.”

The compact basci.r system features a conductivity measurement system with display and optional re-hardening doser.

Calverts’ Speedmaster SM 74, installed in 2000, runs alongside a Konica Minolta 8000 and Konica Minolta 6000. The co-operative produces work for clients including University College London and the Royal College of Art.