Appleton Signs will this week take delivery of a Linoprint C751 to meet demand for shorter run commercial work and a colour consistency that is virtually equivalent to litho standard.
Currently the company runs a Speedmaster SM 74-5 but production director Luke Appleton envisages the business selling this eventually and placing litho work out with the trade.
"We have already seen our screen side give way to digital wide format and now this beefs up our digital capability on the commercial print side," says Mr Appleton. "Our company handles work for recognised brands in the cinema, vehicle hire and sports products markets but equally personal and small enterprise jobs, too. We have a UK wide customer base and a high demand for single and spot colour as well as full colour produced to a high quality standard."
Appleton Signs undertook an extensive investigation into its options, including demonstrations, and it was the Linoprint that excited the company because it took them a step ahead in digital and could clearly provide their customers with the required quality and the business with the required efficiency, volume and profit margin.
"Heidelberg are fantastic to deal with. They are straightforward and don't promise what they can't deliver," says Mr Appleton.
The press will operate on flexible day shifts and will be in demand from the start.
