Dutch printshop Em de Jong - which has carried the 'Royal' name since its centenary a decade ago - has ordered a second 96-page manroland Lithoman press.

Dutch Princess Laurentien pressed a button to start the first press almost two years ago, and its success has led to the order, set for commissioning this year. The group's two other Lithoman presses will also be upgraded.

The two 96-page Lithoman presses share a web width of 2860 mm with eight ribbons, capable of producing nearly five million A4 pages an hour. They have inline cut-off and colour register, ink control and APL plate loading.

A 72-page Lithoman in Baarle-Nassau will gain an extra folder and another is to be moved to sister company Mercator in Jabbekeand equipped with a folder superstructure and a second delivery for cross-fold products.

Managing director Stijn de Jong, who represents the fourth generation of a printing dynasty, says, "We have to expand our company applying an integrated approach. This is why we are also modernising the existing equipment at our sites, in addition to our new investment.

"In addition, the new press enables us to produce new products to offer to our customers."

Em de Jong and its subsidiaries Mercator Press, Janssen/Pers Rotatiedruk and Kampert-Nauta are major players in the European retail advertising print market, and employ around 750 people.

The business began in 1906 when Tjeerd de Jong and his wife and son moved to Baarle-Nassau to publish the local Baarle News and Ad Journal and be a general printer.