Direct mail specialist Mail Solutions in Corby has installed a six-colour version of the machine in a bid to expand its thermal ticketing business, which already accounts for 25%, or around 1.8m, of the factory's annual sales.

Packaging printer Field Group is understood to be the second customer for the press, which runs at web speeds of up to 305m per minute and is an upgrade to the previous Concept machine.

Mail Solutions, whose print division has an annual turnover of around 7.5m, is planning to use the press to print the tickets four-colour on one side with a single colour and a UV fluorescent ink on the reverse.

This press is Mail Solutions' third Muller Martini narrow-web press investment since 2000, following the installations of eight-colour A52 and Concept machines.

Tony Banks, Mail Solutions print division managing director, said that a further spend could be on the cards as the print division continued to grow.

"We never say never. We seem to keep putting these Muller Martini presses in and filling them up without any difficulty. It's a possibility that we'll put in another in two years' time."

He said that his team had considered a number of other presses before going for the Concepta. "For longer runs, the Muller presses get as close to sheetfed quality as possible, and with far greater efficiency," he said.

Banks added that a major advantage of the set-up was its ability to supply product in reels, fan-folds or sheets, depending on the method of post-press personalisation.

The new press, which was installed in June, has created a further three jobs at the 30-staff plant.

Peter Kearns, Muller Martini web press division manager, said that the deal was "a real vote of confidence for us. It just goes to show how efficient the narrow web press can be, particularly in the direct mail market."

Story by Josh Brooks