The new 15,000sph press features Inpress Control and is linked to the firm's Pressroom Manager software, which runs its existing Speedmaster CD 74 four-colour (which is being retained) and Linoprint C901 digital press.
Taylor Brothers joint managing director Charles Taylor said: "The Speedmaster XL 75 is the best B2 press on the market and Inpress Control adds to its productivity and the quality of its output.
"Inpress Control will generate savings on makeready times and materials and improve runnings speeds and quality. It is a fantastic feature. The short delivery gives the operators more space and saves on power consumption."
Taylor added that the coating unit was "essential" as the firm regularly prints work that is "highly designed with solid colours but always fast turnaround", whereas a sixth colour was not cost-justifiable due to volume of six-colour work having diminished.
While Heidelberg forecasts a 30% increase in productivity through the XL investment, Taylor Brothers sales director Nigel Millen said it was too early to quantify, although he said "it's a big difference from where we were before [with the CD 74]".
"The technology on the XL in terms of the automated registration and colour management is a real game-changer because it's bringing the makeready down to just a few minutes and saving on paper," said Millen.
He added that while the Bristol-based firm had no other current investment plans, it could look to upgrade its digital print set-up in the near future after growing digital to 10% of its £3.3m annual turnover since installing the Linoprint C901 in 2013.
"I don't think it's too far away, although there's a decision to be made on whether that's a new machine to replace the Linoprint or an additional machine," said Millen. "There's certainly a merit in having additional capacity to ensure you can always provide that instant service – especially as digital is still a lot less reliable than litho and requires more maintenance and upkeep.
"Probably like a lot of people, we're holding on, waiting for what's around the corner; if Ricoh were to bring out an SRA2 version, for instance, that would be of interest. From a litho replacement point of view there's nothing that's sensible or that isn't two or three years away."
The Bristol-based commercial printer employs 28 staff.
