On the first weekend of June, the Cornwall-based commercial printer hosted a TV crew from German network ZDF to film scenes for an adaptation of one of Cornish romance novelist Rosamunde Pilcher’s novels.

The crew dressed SAPC’s main printshop and reception areas to transform them into offices for the fictional ‘Cornish Gazette’ newspaper. It is the third visit by ZDF crews to the premises, which played an architectural office in 2013 and a pharmaceutical laboratory in 2014.

SAPC marketing and communications manager Matt Bunt said: “What surprised us was the amount of detail they go into, clearing out desks, changing computer backgrounds and putting up posters and promotional boards. It’s not the sort of thing you would notice onscreen, but it is effective in transforming the space.

“While we did not produce anything ourselves this time, we have previously provided documents and signage to help the crew on previous visits.

“I think it is good to help raise the profile of both our business and Cornwall in general and it is a pleasure to be able to use our reputation and that of our iconic building to show the world what Cornwall can achieve, as tourism is a key business in the area.”

Pilcher’s work is especially popular in Germany due to the hundreds of adaptations produced by ZDF since 1993. The author, whose first novels were published by Mills & Boon and is best known for titles such as The Shell Seekers and Coming Home, died in February this year following a stroke.

The lasting popularity of her novels sees around 250,000 German tourists visit Cornwall each year, with many seeking out the SAPC base due to its appearances on TV.

With 36 full-time members of staff, SAPC is currently turning over £4m. It is focused on being a “flag bearer for the power of print”, having recently hosted the second of its now-annual conferences to help print clients make their printed marketing as engaging, cost-effective and sustainable as possible.