The spend on the four-colour press, which was first shown in the UK at last year's Digital Print World, has been backed up with a Horizon collator and bookletmaker and a Wohlenberg guillotine.

Seargeant Brothers joint managing director Angela Williams said that the major advantages of the press were its green credentials and the high resolutions possible.

"It can print on any material and the quality of the image is excellent because it can print with screen rulings of 175, 200 or 300lpi," she said.

A 50,000 grant from the Welsh Assembly assisted the 18-staff firm, which has a turnover approaching 1m, with the investment.

Williams said that the firm had decided to buy the press after ruling out a high-volume digital copier. "It fills the gap between where smaller digital colour printing stops and big long-run litho begins."

She added that the shorter runs possible on the press were "opening the door for [clients] to become much more focused with marketing campaigns," said Williams.

The press, which was installed in February, was bought through AB Dick. The finishing kit was bought from Graphic Arts Equipment.

Story by Josh Brooks