Camelot's US partner Scientific Games Corporation is expanding its UK operation by adding a new security printing facility to its existing operation in Hunslet, Leeds, creating 50 jobs.

New York-based Scientific, which currently prints all the National Lottery cards at its plant in Atlanta, Georgia, has invested 8m to increase printing capacity at the 14,000sqm plant with an 18-unit, 68-metre long BHS press that is said to be "the first of its kind in the UK".

James Trask, managing director of Scientific Games UK, said: "The implementation of our new press will increase our print capacity to five billion scratchcard tickets per year."

Scientific Games has invested over 28m since 2000 at its Leeds plant. The facility employs 530 staff and has an annual turnover of 45m.

The introduction of the new press will enable Camelot to cut turnaround times for the production and shipping of scratchcards as it gears up for the launch of a new series, dedicated to raising funds for the London 2012 Olympics.

Scratchcards in numbers
- Number of UK Lottery retailers 26,000
- Number of Hunslet employees 530
- Scientific's investment since 2000 28m
- Annual scratchcard sales 717m
- Hunslet's capacity 5bn cards per year