The national and regional newspaper publisher said the increase in contract print revenues was evidence of the efficiency of the 26 full colour presses the group operates across its nine print sites.

New chief executive Simon Fox, who joined the publisher in September 2012, said the group's print operations were well invested but that it would consider additional investment in its core plants "if they are supported by new long term third-party print contracts".

The 7.6% gain in contract print revenues in 2012 was partially offset by the falling price of newsprint in the second half of the year, which reduced revenues from newsprint supplied to contract customers by £500,000 to £26.7m.

In addition, the small increase in revenues from Trinity Mirror's printing division did little to offset declining advertising and circulation revenue, which fell 10.4% and 7.9% to £292.8m and £297.2m respectively.

Group turnover for the 52 weeks ended 30 December 2012 was therefore down £54.2m year-on-year to £706.5m, with an estimated £12m of that decline due to the launch of rival national Sunday tabloid the Sun on Sunday in February 2012.

Meanwhile, a £60m writedown in the carrying value of goodwill in Trinity's specialist digital classified recruitment and property business resulted in a dive in statutory operating and pre-tax profits, which fell 58.8% and 74.6% to £38.1m and £18.9m respectively.

On an underlying basis operating profit increased 2.5% from £104.5m to £107.1m while pre-tax profit rose 7.4% to £98.7m (2011: £91.9m).

At group level, the fall in newsprint price reduced Trinity's own costs by £17m versus 2011, while its cost saving initiatives also led to an £18.2m reduction in labour costs.

Fox said that the group had been "highly effective in managing its cost base in recent years" adding that "this energy will remain undiminished".

"We will remain focused on driving efficiency through the use of technology to simplify, centralise or outsource those processes which are non-consumer facing," he said, citing the recent outsourcing of around 110 pre-press, studio and ad creation positions to India-based Affinity Express as one example.

The group will push for a further £10m in structural cost savings in 2013 and will also benefit from the fall in newsprint prices, while it plans to invest some £8m to accelerate its digital capabilities in 2013, rising to £15m a year going forward.

Planned investment includes the launch of e-editions across all platforms for all of the group's regional titles by the end of the summer, as well as "greatly enhanced" web and mobile sites for the group's top 30 titles in 2013.

The group also plans to invest in new digital businesses based around: building its sports content; building its regional news and commercial connections; and engaging new audiences. This could include "selective small scale acquisitions or partnership opportunities".

"Our underlying performance in digital revenue has been far from satisfactory and our increased focus on this area will be a high priority for 2013 and beyond," said Fox.

Post balance sheet events included the acquisiton of a 20% stake in Local World for £14.2m on 7 January 2013.