The Tyne and Wear printer has scooped two UK firsts after purchasing an HP Scitex FB7500 printer and Scitex TJ8350, both of which are expected to be in operation next month.

The double press spend is the first by the company since Dark Peak Trading acquired the business, then NSL, from administration in February.

Paul Dowell, director at Spenaprint, is optimistic about the business, despite the challenges.

"Buying a business from administration in a recession is never easy, but we're quietly confident and have a very strong offering coupled with the highest quality digital output," he said.

While Spenaprint is still focusing on the point-of-sale and large-format display markets, it is enhancing the throughput and quality of its digital offering, according to Dowell.

The decision to invest in digital technology stemmed from the equipment inherited through the NSL acquisition.

Although the company took on two screen-printing machines, previous refinancing of the kit would have required Spenaprint to spend heavily to take ownership of both presses.

"At that point, we looked at the throughput and quality of what HP could offer at the time; the new Scitex machines were coming to market so it made sense to replace the screen machinery with digital," said Dowell.

The flatbed Scitex FB7500 can print at speeds up to 500sqm an hour and on substrates up to 3.2 x 1.65m wide and on thicknesses up to 25mm thick. Spenaprint's other new machine, the TJ8350, can output up to 480sqm an hour.

In addition to investing in new equipment, the company, which now employs 56 staff, has spent time developing relationships with new and existing customers.

He said: "During the administration period, some customers understandably left and sourced their work elsewhere.

"But we're attracting new business to the company and rebuilding relationships with some clients that had moved their work away."