The investment adds four new machines to the firm's line up of Xerox digital presses. The kit includes three Xerox DocuPrint 92Cs and a Xerox DocuPrint 180, which prints up to 180pp per minute. The firm now has a total of 11 DocuPrints, which are a mix of continuous and cut sheet.

"We switched to Xerox in 2000 and since that time we have gradually purchased more machines," said Metromail managing director Alan Purvis. "We have found them very reliable."

He added that the kit will help the company use specialist green spot colours for application forms, personalised forms and booklets.

"We decided to further invest in Xerox equipment because we knew we would get high-quality products that could make us more productive," said Purvis.

Metromail is part of holiday and financial services specialist Saga Group but also produces work for blue-chip companies and government departments.

"The investments are part of the exciting plans that we have in the pipeline," added Purvis.

"Metromail invested in the DocuPrint Systems because it is familiar and confident with their capabilities," said Xerox monochrome marketing manager Paul Stead. "We are working with Metromail to ensure it benefits from the new technology to profit and achieve further growth."

Metromail has a workforce of 230 and operates from a 9,000m2 facility in Peterlee, County Durham.

Story by Philip Chadwick