The 12-colour press, which features full colour-control technology, will be delivered to the company's 130-staff Newcastle site later this month.

It will be used to handle longer-run work, while BLP's existing Manroland B2 press will continue to produce short-run jobs. The press will join a Manroland 700 six-colour B1 HiPrint – the first HiPrint to be installed in the UK back in 2007.

Richard Farmer, marketing director of the £11m-turnover company, said: "We are confident about the future and in our ability to attract new clients, as well as to develop more print and packaging business within our existing client base by widening our service offering.

"This investment is vital to drive further efficiency through the business and substantially increases our commercial and marketing print capacity, which is essential to the implementation of our growth plans."