The StitchLiner, bought from UK agent GAE, was part of an investment programme the company started last year. Also included in the spend was a 1,400sqm premises and the purchase of a B3 long-perfecting press.

According to managing director Paul Anderson, the volume of work the company could previously handle was limited by the capacity of its finishing department.

Anderson felt that the StitchLiner was "probably a niche product", but he said it is ideal for Fairprint because it allows the company to put a flat sheet in one end and get a finished booklet out of the other.

He added: "In the last three years we have grown 25% per annum, but we are already 40% up this month on this time last year – a lot of that is down to the StitchLiner."

Fairprint is now to embark on another spending spree. Anderson said: "We are looking at a £1m-plus investment which will include a Heidelberg 10-colour B2 press. We'd like to be able to put that in for February next year."

The company has a turnover of £2m and has a number of blue chip customers including Tesco and drinks brand Famous Grouse. However, Anderson said that no one deal accounts for more than around 3% of the company's business.

"We have a fairly varied customer base that orders a whole range of full-colour work," he said. "Booklet work is good because it tends of be repeat work, but short-run full colour is also particularly good."