The print, mailing and fulfilment company, which is part of French postal operator La Poste Group, previously outsourced its colour digital requirements.

According to Elliott Mallows, head of marketing at BTB Mailflight, the addition of the HP machine "closes the loop and gives us control over quality as well as complete production scheduling".

"The HP Indigo press also enables a true print-on-demand service that delivers better value to our customers by printing only what is needed and minimising waste," he added.

BTB Mailflight handles work for a range of national and international clients. Following its acquisition by La Poste in 2008, the company claims it has been able to offer global print and fulfilment services.

Its investment in the HP Indigo 7500 comes at a time when colour digital print is proving to be a growing market for the 42-year-old business.

"There are many benefits to digital printing, but it needs to be sold differently than conventional print, and customers need to break themselves from thinking in conventional printing terms," said Mallows.

He added: "For example, sometimes we receive large quantities of language versions, but only a few hundred are ever used.

"Digitally printed as short-runs these jobs can add value through personalisation and result in greater impact and much higher response rates as well as eliminating storage costs and the need for recycling surplus stock."