Both Litho Supplies and Positive Focus will show the products for the first time at the show at Earls Court 2, which runs from 18-20 October.

Litho Supplies has struck a deal to sell DirecType software with UK agent Consultaprint.

"I think that it's a fantastic piece of software," said electronics sales director Steve Dodds. "We've got 300 customers out there with Xerox kit. We plan to take this out to those customers and their customers."

After the show the firm is planning to promote the software, which enables personalised text to be inserted in a naturalistic way into photographs, via a series of seminars.

Positive Focus will be showing rival system AlphaPicture from software developer i-clue. Although similar to DirecType and another rival product Direct Smile, AlphaPicture (sample image pictured) is available as a managed service rather than as a standalone software package.

"It's an ideal solution for the many digital printers now starting to venture in personalisation," said Positive Focus managing director Ivor Dixon. "Without an upfront cost they can have very professional images and effects at a known price."