Spokane-based commercial printer Lawton Printing Inc. has purchased for $500,000 a new digital press that the company says will expand its digital printing capabilities.

Laura Lawton, president and owner of Lawton Printing, says it bought the press, an HP Indigo 5600 Digital Offset Press, in October. The new press, one of two the printing company runs, is meant to replace an older version of the same press, an HP Indigo 5000.

"We continue to work on being able to do more personalized, more relevant printing pieces," Lawton says.

The new press can print on materials other than paper, including magnets, Lawton says. It also has the ability to print using white ink, so customers can print on different colored material.

Lawton says the company formerly operated two additional presses, in addition to the two it currently runs.

"It's kind of the nature of how business has changed and what our clients' needs are," Lawton says.

Located at 4111 E. Mission, Lawton Printing currently employs about 45 people, she says. The printing business partners with 75 chambers of commerce producing maps. Along with those clients, Lawton says it serves about 400 other clients annually.

Lawton Printing has been operating since 1940.