The sheetfed house has installed a new Komori Lithrone L640C with a coater at the new factory as part of an expansion programme that has also included the acquisition of a local stationery firm.

Highlight sales and marketing manager Frank Hanna (pictured) said that the new press had "opened up significant opportunities from both existing and new clients and we are receiving a number of six-colour specific jobs now."

The new press has replaced one of Highlight's two B2 five-colour Komoris, and was installed to respond to greater demand for spot colour from its client base, which Hanna termed "the cream" of the north west's design and ad agencies.

Highlight's move to the new factory in May followed the acquisition of Warrington stationery printer Hutson Fast Print, which completed in February.

Hanna said: "We've been working together for some time. They were printing our customers' stationery, and we were doing four-colour work for them, so the acquisition was a natural progression."

He added that there were no "immediate" plans for further sheetfed investments. "This has been a big year for us, with the acquisition, the move and the new equipment, but the next stage could be to invest in our digital department."

Highlight runs a Xerox DocuColor 6060 at present. It has 45 staff and a turnover of more than 3m.