UK managing director Christian Knapp (pictured) said: "We have not concluded a contract with anyone in the UK for a heatset web press at this time but we are in contention for two or three projects."

One potential customer is Ipswich-based Ancient House Print Group. But its managing director, Michael Underwood, said talks were at a "very early stage", and that his firm was considering web and sheetfed options.

Knapp conceded that the web offset market was "very, very difficult". He made commercial web and sheetfed his main targets when he took over at the firm a year ago.

He will be hoping to enjoy the same level of success he achieved at MAN Roland, where he worked in tandem with PPS web sales director Norman Revill.

KBA has suffered from a lack of confidence in its products since St Ives took out a Compacta 218 from Edenbridge in early 1999.

But one source said a breakthrough "wouldnt surprise me because it [the new Compacta] is a really nice press".