The Beccles firm, which completed its move to a new factory in August last year, plans to triple the speed of its Muller Martini binding line with a retrofit and to install a new casing-in machine.

A further Timson press, to add to the 96pp T48 installed last October, could also be on the shopping list for the fourth quarter of the year.

"Makeready times are down to three minutes on that press, so we can compete on runs down to 500 copies. Now we've got to come out fighting in January and challenge the big boys," said Foyster.

He added that Metro Publishing's Red Herrings and White Elephants by Albert Jack was a particular recent success, with three reprints in the two weeks before Christmas.

Foyster also revealed that former Clays and RR Donnelly salesman Mike Lynch has joined Clowes' five-strong sales team.