Taylor Bloxham has become the first Midlands printer to install a 12-colour B1 Heidelberg Speedmaster.

The 2.25m press is undergoing testing and should be up and running early next month.

The firm, based in Beaumont Leys in Leicester, is an all-Heidelberg house and already runs three six-colour presses, a five-colour and a four-colour.

Marketing manager Nita Jarram said the firm hoped the new press would add 3m to its current turnover of 16.2m, which in itself was 1.2m ahead of budget.

Taylor Bloxham only looked at Heidelberg presses although it initially considered eight-, 10-, or 12-colour printing. But it opted for the 12-colour because, according to Jarram, "we didnt want to jump on the bandwagon were taking an extra leap".

Taylor Bloxham will target design agencies with the press and is testing 12-colour process printing. "Well reach up to 98% of the spectrum it is Hexachrome times two," said Jarram.

It will also push the press six-back-six perfecting ability to the report and accounts market.

The firm has also spent 110,000 on a Prinergy system for its pre-press department, which joins a Creo Trendsetter CTP system.

The 160-staff firm now has 40 B1 printing units in its factory, which also houses Muller Martini stitching kit.

It has taken over half of the warehousing space leased by transport firm Hardings to accommodate the new equipment.

Taylor Bloxham is part of the 19m-turnover Print People Group.

Story by Gordon Carson