The purchase is the latest in company's multi-year US$40m capital expenditure for its QuadDirect direct-mail division. QuadDirect recently completed the installation of the six-unit Goss press at its production facility and headquarters in Pewaukee, WI.

In an interview with PrintWeek, QuadDirect president Steve Jaeger said, "The Sunday 2000 press was in response to marketers' requests to deliver the highest quality print, new and unique personalized formats, plus low paper and mailing costs. As marketers continue to refine their multichannel marketing strategies, the Sunday 2000 reduces time to market while delivering relevant, targeted communications through the use of variable inkjet, and or four color images."

Jaeger added that QuadDirect and its clients are finding truth in the adage that relevant traditional mailers and other print marketing initiatives end up enhancing the effectiveness of other channels.

"The new features will allow marketers to design high quality mailers that are the right format for their specific audience," he said. "All in, with print, paper and industry-leading data and distribution solutions, our Sunday 2000 offers a low cost model. It enables marketers to make their printed mailers more aggressive by blending both static four-color process and variable print together to deliver an affordable, highly relevant product that can improve their overall ROI."

In other news, Presstek said Quad/Graphics will also be purchasing one five-color Presstek 75DI digital offset press with an inline aqueous coater. The 75DI features support for 300lpi and FM screening, six-minute job-to-job turnover - including on-press plate imaging - and can print up to 16,000 six-up sheets or 96,000 letter-sized pages per hour.  

The planned acquisition of the larger 750mm format Presstek 75DI, comes two years after Quad/Graphics installed its initial Presstek unit, a 52DI-AC press, the companies said in a statement.