"The capabilities of inkjet technology have evolved very quickly and with Sherman on board we are in a strong position to take advantage of new opportunities," said Inca chief executive Linda Bell.

Sherman, a physicist by training, has experience of business development for inkjet technology having previously worked at coding and marking specialist Videojet in product development.

"There are interesting applications out there and I will be looking at ways in which we can expand the reach of Inca's technology by adapting it to suit new market needs," said Sherman. "Our customers are already entering sectors such as product decoration using our existing graphics printers and we will be exploring these in greater depth."

The firm has also released a guide on how inkjet can be used to improve traditional production techniques, available to download from http://whynotinkjet.com.