The Audion Elektro El-Matic EM 24H automatic L-Sealer and Te-Matic TM 18 shrink tunnel cost about £20,000 and went in two months ago.

Operations director Karl Gater explained: “One of our bindery assistants noted our existing shrink wrapper was too slow and needed replacing, so we took the comments on board.

“We attended a couple of trade shows, decided what machine best suited our needs and, following a good demo at Friedheim, placed the order.”

The Audion replaced an old single-feed manual shrink wrapper and can work separately or attached to the end of a machine.

“We don't have a massive need for shrink wrapping, so the purchase was more about the impact on the shop floor. It will save 50% of labour costs."

Pensord Press was formed in 1969 and has two sites in Gwent, one concentrating on litho printing and the other digital output. Around 150 people work across both sites, generating £12m turnover.

Most work undertaken is periodical printing, with the remainder being general commercial. Most jobs are contractual, covering around 300 titles for large and small independent publishers.

The company runs two Heidelberg XLs, one with a coater, Stahl folders and two Ricoh digital presses, a CP9100 and a CP901.

Last July, Pensord Press announced it would take delivery of the UK’s first 10-colour Speedmaster SX 102-10P press to boost efficiency by up to 40%.

And in November 2014 it launched a £350,000 digital print division to support its publishing clients with ultra short-run and versioned titles, personalised covers and general marketing.

Gater added: “Two people operate the Audion and it is so simple to use they did not need any training. Even I can run it.

“Quality of the shrink wrapping is excellent and in terms of production, since the Audion has been installed it has cut down on wrapping times by more than 50%.”