March 4, 2004 -- Polestar Petty is to install its second new 64-page press in six months as it takes delivery in early May of a four-unit Heidelberg Sunday 4000 press. By the close of Polestar's financial year in September 2004, the company will house six 64-page presses as the Group continues its development of the business into a high volume, web-offset super plant. As a result of this latest investment, coupled with the company's new Lithoman press commissioned in December 2003 and other press capacity being transferred from Polestar Watford, two older G16 presses will be decommissioned during the year. Polestar Petty Managing Director Lindsay Atkinson says, "With six 64-page presses and a 16-page cover press, we are able to offer unrivalled technology, quality and productivity for our customers, whilst containing capacity at a sensible level." The Polestar Group houses a number of other Heidelberg machines, including three eight-unit M600s at Polestar Chantry and the NexPress at Polestar Wheatons. The new press will be equipped with the very latest technology including Autoplate Heidelberg's fully automatic plate changing device an Ecocool dryer and Closed Loop Colour control. Heidelberg's Divisional Web Manager John Chambers says, " We are absolutely delighted to have won this prestigious order with the Polestar Group. The increased productivity of the 64-press Sunday press fits neatly with Polestar's super plant strategy." The Group has also confirmed that it is likely to exercise its option on a third gravure press and may order the machine as early as next month. The contracts have now been signed for the purchase of two 3.9 m gravure presses, which will be installed in Polestar's new Greenfield plant early next year. At the signing ceremony, which was attended by Dr Giancarlo Cerutti, Polestar Chief Executive Barry Hibbert said, "We have had an option on a third machine since we first negotiated with Cerutti, and feel that now is the right time to pursue this, to ensure we have new gravure technology coming through without delay over the next 12-18 months."