Timsons is developing the finishing element of the system that will complement HP's new inkjet press which is set to launch commercially in the second half of 2009.

The press, which was unveiled earlier this year, is being targeted at the production of short- to medium-run books. It is capable of printing up to 122m a minute and is compatible with a wide range of uncoated media.

Aurelio Maruggi, vice president and general manager of inkjet high-speed production solutions at HP, said: "The digital book solution coming from this work will open a range of new possibilities to help printers and publishers optimize their supply chains, decrease waste and create revenue opportunities."

Maruggi said the collaboration "is a natural next step in HP’s strategy to move higher volumes of printing from analog to digital" and take digital book production beyond niche applications to mainstream production.

The digital book finishing system from Timsons is expected to operate at speeds that match the performance capabilities of the press.

Jeff Ward, managing director of Timsons, said the partnership "offers a complementary opportunity to the book manufacturers Timsons has served for more than 30 years, with innovative new solutions to help our customers capture the momentum that exists with digital."

It was announced in June that CPI Antony Rowe would be among the first companies to trial the new 30" HP Inkjet Web Press.

Pierre-François Catté, chief executive officer of CPI, said: "As an HP collaborator and the largest worldwide user of Timsons presses, CPI will be the first company to put this solution into production as it pushes to reinforce its leadership in black-and-white book printing."