According to Signs Express (North and North East Lincolnshire) managing director Ken Vedis, the company was operating a Mimaki JV3 machine for upwards of 90 hours a week, despite the fact that it was coming to the end of its life.

Since the company introduced digital printing in 2004, it has seen a steep rise in work with currently more than 50% completed on digital machines – meaning the old machine had too much work to handle.

The franchise invested £34,000 in Mimaki's next generation of digital sign-printing equipment, the JV33 wide-format presses.

Vedis said: "We are still running both machines for 10 hours a day so there is definitely room for us to take on more work. I envisage that over the next three or four months we will look to move to a shift-a-day format at least."

Signs Express handles all sign-printing equipment from safety signs through to graphics and wraps for vehicles.

The company is one of the largest signage businesses in the UK, with its Grimsby franchise in operation for the past 16 years. The franchise currently has 20 staff and is turning over around £1m a year.