The companies had between 1-2 staff and went up to 500+ staff, and the results showed that insolvencies in the print, paper and packaging market in August 2009 and August 2010 stayed static at six, while insolvencies for August 2010 were 0.19% compared with 0.24% a year earlier.

The sector's financial strength score in August 2010also dropped, pegged at 78.64 compared with 79.42 a year earlier.

However, the market did well in Experian's late payment data and in August 2010 was the eleventh fastest paying industry of the 35 sectors covered. Figures showed that the number of days beyond terms in August 2010 were 18.06 compared with 20.30 a year earlier.

A spokeswoman said that this result has "dropped off, it is pretty significant".

She said: "While the sector is still late, it has done well - eleventh out of 35 industries is pretty good".

Experian's figures for July 2010 showed that insolvencies in the sector more than halved compared to figures for the same month in 2009.

On the latest insolvency statistics, Andrew Brown, corporate affairs director at the BPIF, said that despite a third quarter increase, print and packaging insolvencies are now below the equivalent 2009 and 2008 levels.

He said: "Latest data from the Begbies Traynor Red Flag Alert statistics reveals that 70 print and packaging companies became insolvent, down from 111 in the first quarter of 2010.