The Lithrone, which comes with a dual coating pump and fire suppression system, was ordered in November to replace the Cambridgeshire carton manufacturer's ageing Komori.
It joins another Komori six-colour plus coater press at the St Neots plant, which Trenton Box managing director Eden Douglas sees as "our supplier of choice for key production investments".
The company has spent nearly £2m since 2011 on a range of updated machinery, including a Bobst 102CE cutter and creaser, Bobst gluer, window patcher and rotary letterpress label printing press with rewind inspection facility. It also brought its reprographic services in-house, employing two people to take on the work in February this year.
Trenton Box production manager Rob Douglas, Eden’s son, said that the company’s continuing customer support during a period of board supply shortage in 2010 and 2011, had won them new and loyal clients.
"There was a shortage of board with our European suppliers but we managed to carry on producing using the board we had in stock and different suppliers.
"Trenton Box had an agreement with our customers that we could carry on supplying them with the necessary products and in return they agreed to carry on dealing with us. We let no-one down and won sole supply in some instances.
"Trenton Box has also picked up work from our fast turnaround – we recognise that most of our customers are in the FMCG market and have major demands on their service and quality from the retailers and independent customers, and we aim to support them in this demanding environment in all areas."
The 16,500sph Komori has been fitted with fully automatic plate changing, the KHS-AI quick make ready system and a UV drying system to aid quick lead times.
The company currently employs 85 staff and turns over £7.25m annually. Rob Douglas expects that the workforce will grow to 100 over the next two years.
In that time, Trenton Box is also targeting £8m turnover, aided by further investments in an ink-mixing system to support its commitment to low migration inks and a new MIS before the close of the year.
