The Cardiff-based printer, founded in 1954, is replacing one of its existing Speedmaster SM 74-4 machines with the new XL model, which it expects will boost capacity by up to 40%.

Provincial will take delivery of the XL 75-4+LX in April and is redesigning its South Glamorgan site to increase production space for the new machine.

Managing director Ian Fitzgerald said: "Our Speedmaster was 12 years old and we were wanting to upgrade.

"We can now handle carton board and point-of-sale work on heavier stocks up to 750-800 micron, which we couldn't do before."

Fitzgerald said the current climate was a good time for his 11-staff company to invest: "The market is competitive at the moment and that's another good reason to look at being more efficient."

See also: Heidelberg XL 75 buy gives ESP 'greater control'

B2 buy to push Centreprint turnover past £3m