The Derbyshire-based company has been bought for an undisclosed sum with the help of funds from Lloyds TSB Commercial and advice from accountants Campbell Woolley.

Kent has worked in the print industry for his entire career and has spent the past 15 years at a printer in Yorkshire, where he was most recently operations manager.

He said: "A management buy-in occurred at my previous employer and, following the change in ownership, I decided that I needed a new challenge.

"When I found the Small Firms Loan Guarantee, which is now the EFG, it ticked every box. Lloyds TSB was willing to go with it and I also put £25,000 of my own money into buying the company."

Kent is now looking to grow the business by bringing in extra work.

Ripley Printers was originally formed in 1922 and produces business cards, brochures, digital print and promotional print, such as clocks, t-shirts and jigsaw puzzles. It currently has four staff and a turnover of £300,000.

The government-backed EFG scheme was launched earlier this year and provides lenders with guarantees on loans from £1,000 to £1m.