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Book printer Short Run Press has bolstered its digital offering after transferring more than 40% of its mono litho work onto its new dual Océ set-up.

The investment, which included a mono VarioPrint 6160 and colour CS650 machine, has tripled the company’s digital capacity, which previously centred on a mono Konica Minolta 1050.

The kit spend represents a shift towards digital at the company, from 5% of its output three years ago to digital representing around a third of all its print today. 

Mark Couch, marketing and sales director at Short Run Press, said the investment would help the company cater for declining run lengths and give it greater flexibility.

“We’re getting requests from publishers wanting 100-200 copies when they previously would have wanted 400-500. The new Océs will help us produce more short- run work and free up the litho machines for the longer-run work,” said Couch.

Short Run Press is also anticipating the investment in kit will give the firm a “significant” capacity boost, allowing it to take on more work.

Couch said: “We’d previously dipped our toes into digital with the Konica but now we’ve gone the whole hog. The customer reaction has been great.”

The Sowton, Exeter-based printer specialises in academic journals, primarily for the scientific and education markets. The company employs 20 people and has a £1.6m turnover.