The twin install, which followed the purchase of a 3.2m EFI Vutek GS3250LXr Pro UV wide-format printer in July, takes Stewart Signs total capex for the year to around £500,000.

Tom Bates, production manager of the Hampshire-based wide-format printer said that investment was helping to drive turnover growth from around £5m-£6m to circa £12m per annum.

"Last month we did £1m and we're on target to do the same this month and in January," he said.

However, the real driver behind replacing the firm's old Contech flatbed die-cutting press with two new digital cutting tables was the need for greater flexibility in the range of vehicle graphics the firm produces.

"The main aim was being more flexible because customers with fleets of vehicles don't just have one or two vehicle types anymore, companies like BT or the National Grid could have 25, and to buy tools for all of those is going to cost quite a bit," said Bates.

"That's not a problem with digital cutting because if they change the vehicles or the livery we just change the cut file."

Bates added that the company had also invested in a new Seal laminator and Clarity MIS.