The Bourne End, Buckinghamshire-based company was a short-run digital specialist until it added B2 litho 18 months ago with the purchase of a Heidelberg Speedmaster 74.

However, it was still finishing work on a Watkiss bookletmaker, so longer-run work was being outsourced.

Managing director Karl Hnat opted for a larger machine, which could handle a wider range of work.

Hnat said: "We wanted greater control over quality and costs. We can now chop and change work if we need to because the makereadies are so fast.

"We also have better control over the costs as now we don't have to worry about any time delays – the production process is much smoother."

Hnat added that, as well as being able to control more work itself, the company also made the purchase because of concerns about sending work out.

"If there are any issues with the end-product, it can be spotted quickly in the bindery and not when the job comes back from the finisher. Also, there are fewer and fewer trade finishers in the area who are convenient to send work out to," he said.

Colourpoint has a turnover of £2m and employs 22 staff. It has a large number of clients in the design agency sector, which makes up around 80% of its business. As well as its Heidelberg machines, the company runs HP Indigo 3050 and 5500 machines.

The Horizon StitchLiner works from flat four-page sections, eliminating the need to pre-fold into signatures or pre-trim top and tail.

It has a running speed of 5,500bph in basic mode or 11,000bph in 2-up mode, for longer-run work.