LHM Envelope Solutions has reached a landmark with a 500,000 spend on its first piece of brand new equipment.

"We have progressed in a tough market," said managing director Lawrence Dexter, who founded the firm in 1993. "18-24 months ago we realised that unless we were prepared to invest in new kit we would suffer from European competition."

The 38-strong Nottingham-based firm has installed a new Winkler + Dnnebier Classic machine with a Sysco cutter for quicker and more accurate punching of envelope shapes.

"It gives us improved quality and more consistent results, and our output has trebled, if not quadrupled," added Dexter.

The new Classic replaces an old Smithe model, and joins two existing W+D machines, running 24 hours a day.

LHM specialises in bespoke envelopes for a range of blue-chip clients. The new machine provides format flexibility from C4 to DL, and will produce wallet or pocket envelopes.