The system was originally developed by managing director Tony Allen for use in pub beer lines, but the print applications soon came to light thanks in part to the Black Country Chamber of Commerce and Business Link.

"It changes the structure of the calcium which  causes hardness being based on radio waves it travels with the flow of water throughout the system," said Allen Wolverhampton University print department has been trialling Oasis on a recirculating fount system and estimates savings of  1,000 per year for each press installation on chemicals alone.

The Tampa Tribune in Florida has also installed Oasis on a web press and has reported that it makes the water "wetter" allowing dampening settings to be run lower. It also claimed that it reduced build-up, which in turn has reduced web-breaks.

The patent application is due to be approved at the end of June when Waterite will begin marketing Oasis.

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