Harry Skidmore, managing director of printer Easibind, and John Gilmore, managing director of finishing equipment manufacturer Autobond, were both featured on Friday's (24 October) edition of Working Lunch on BBC2.

According to Skidmore, companies need to make sure that they are not caught unexpectedly by a recession.

He said: "You don't want to get caught with no money in the bank, no resources and no plan. This time around we were absolutely prepared."

Skimore added that printers should be working with their customers to help both sides cut costs, claiming that simplifying products such as corporate brochures would help to save money for both parties on production, as well as cutting postage costs.

Gilmore told the BBC that the recession had actually helped his company because of the work it does with companies abroad.

He said: "The exchange rate has helped us because we send a lot of products to the US; it makes them a lot more profitable.

"It has also increased our business in Europe, we have taken a couple of orders from Switzerland and France, which we wouldn't have picked up as easily if the pound was doing better."

Both companies are based on the Heanor Gate Road business estate, the same business park that failed printer Heanorgate was based in.

You can view the episode using the BBC's iPlayer.