The loyalty and gift card producer, which is based in Petersfield, Hampshire, swung into action to help out its partner, the promotional merchandising company BTC Group.

It produced the retail loyalty cards on a five-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster 72 F and a host of card-finishing kit over four weeks, half the time a job of that size usually takes.

Frank Murphy, managing director at BTC Group, said: "Having been let down by another supplier, I was delighted to find ID Data.

"It was able to turn around the order for 600,000 cards in an amazingly short time-frame. Their total in-house production facility is one of the most impressive I have ever visited."

ID Data Cards employs 75 staff at its fully secure MasterCard-accredited premises and is embarking on an "investment programme" to support inroads into pre-paid, Visa-accredited debit and credit card markets at home and overseas.

Martin Ruda, Tall Group managing director, which owns ID Data Cards, said: "The opportunities for our team at ID Data are tremendous.

"We are determined to build a substantial business in the card sector and are very clear about the group’s position as a paper, card and electronic payments solutions provider."

ID Data Cards specialises in providing complete end-to-end plastic card-based production for retail, leisure, financial and government sectors. It has a turnover of around £6m.

Tall Group has an annual turnover of around £16m and includes Tall Security Print, Checkprint and ID Data Cards. It employs more than 200 people across three sites.