The Leicestershire company is printing the first job on the 18,000sph B1 Heidelberg machine today (4 April) and expects to increase production by 15% as a result.

A six colour litho press with a dedicated in-line coating unit, the XL 106 is a bigger format machine than the company’s two other Heidelberg XL 105s. The company also has two Manroland 700 machines, one of which will be decommissioned once the XL 106 fully takes over.

Each of the company’s Heidelberg machines can print 100,000 sheets a day.

Operations manager David Midgley said: "We find Heidelberg Speedmasters to be the best engineered presses, they are the best quality and have the fewest breakdowns. They are the best presses out there at the moment.

"It will be a great bonus for us once it has been bedded-in and is in full production."

The press is the first press buy since managing director Mark Kerridge and commercial director Nick Benson led a management buyout of the company in 2011.

Kerridge said: "The spec matches the requirements of our particular markets and, being consistent with previous installations, continues to build on the site’s ability to respond flexibly to our very dynamic market."

Benson Box in Bardon, Leicestershire generates a £50m turnover and is one of four sites located in the midlands and the north of England.

Benson Group sites produce packaging for UK and European customers within the food retail and healthcare industries.

Clients include Two Sisters Food Group, Greencore and Reckitt Benkiser.

The company expects to hit revenues of £120m by the end of its financial year on 31 May and employs 900 people.