The largest single investment was a secondhand five-colour-plus-coater Heidelberg Speedmaster 74, supplied by Redditch-based Albion Machinery.

“We were sending out a lot of high-quality four-colour work that we couldn’t produce on our Heidelberg DI press,” said managing director David Littlechild.

To support the move to the larger format press the firm bought a Screen PlateRite 4300 platesetter and has switched back to metal plate production from polyester for all its machines.

It also invested in a two-colour GTO 52, upgraded its Xerox digital press from a 700 to a J75 and installed a Tharstern Primo MIS.

The investment was supported in part by a £20,000 Regional Growth Fund grant. The firm took on a press minder and a print finisher under the terms of the grant.

The firm, which currently has sales of £800,000, expects to boost turnover by 40% to £1.2m in the next two years. It is already ahead of budget due to the increase in business following the install of the B2 press. One recent job produced on the new press was a 10.5m run of promotional cards for a high-street retailer.