The 74-staffed, Southend-based business, which recorded turnover of £5.6m last year, said it was well on target for an 18% turnover growth this year.

Joint managing director Aron Priest said the move into digital has enabled "quicker turnaround".

He added: "Since our foundation nine years ago we have wanted to move into new markets and diversify into more corporate products.

"We have seen an increase in demand for smaller print. The quality and speed of digital has got better and better."

He added that the business intends to purchase further kit in 2011, possibly including a six-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster.

Greg Ralph, joint managing director of Solopress, said the printer's strong financial performance had enabled it to invest in an additional 278m2 factory next door to its current site.

Solopress has also bought a Morgana DocuMaster, folding equipment, guillotines and laminators in the past nine months and undertaken a complete rebrand of its website.

Ralph said: "It's been a brutal year for printers as potential clients cut back on spend or move their budgets online.

"However, we've remained focused on our customers' needs and helped deliver high quality work with extremely fast turnaround times and that has ensured that we remain at the front of their minds."

The company was formed by Priest, Ralph and Andrew Smith in 1999 on the back of a perceived gap in the market for a fast-turnaround and cost-friendly printer.

It now has 37,000 customers and has just received its ISO 9001 accreditation, and is also ISO 14001 and FSC certified.