Joining the agro-chemical and folding label specialist’s lineup of two 50m/min Domino machines, an N600 and an N610i, the new 1200dpi single-pass Tau will add another 100m/min of potential production speed.

It arrived at Appeal’s Oldham factory this month, where it will help the company both take on more work and secure its inkjet production for years to come, according to managing director Barry Lewis.

Having flown to Chicago to look at the latest print engines in 2022, Lewis wanted to buy a solid inkjet machine as a base from which he could explore other digital technologies later down the line.

“We’re looking to secure our offering, offer quicker lead times and improve the volume that we produce,” he told Printweek.

With 24 staff and a turnover of £2.7m, Lewis said he wanted the new machine to bring the company up over the £3m mark in the short term, with plenty of room for expansion.

Digital print – introduced with the Dominos 10 years ago – now makes up 95% of the company’s output, with flexo heads remaining on just a couple of rarely used machines.

The Tau’s high print resolution, Lewis added, will also help Reel Appeal break further into the beauty and cosmetic markets, which demand finer printwork.

To get the machine into the company’s site will be a job in of itself, however, and Lewis has spent the past five months rearranging the factory.

A new mezzanine level has been constructed, and the original unit extended into the neighbouring building; the factory’s power supply has likewise been upgraded.