The Kendal-based company said it expected to gain more control over its digitally printed work by bringing work that was previously outsourced back in-house.

The Canon ImagePress, which is the first digital machine the 10-staff business has bought, will help open up new revenue streams, according to the company.

Peter Hartley, managing director of Stramongate, said: "We have seen a huge increase in requests for digital work over the past few years. Now we can carry out work for both existing and new customers that may have gone elsewhere.

"We looked at several devices on the market, but as our first step into digital print this was by far the best choice for us."

The ImagePress will handle jobs including greetings cards, brochures, posters and books in runs of up to 1,000. It joins five Heidelberg presses.

According to Hartley, the new investment will also help the company develop its personalisation offering and aid expansion into direct mail brochures and catalogues.

He said: "We would previously do pre-printed letterheads and personalise them with names and addresses. We can build upon that now."

Trevor Dodsworth, head of professional print at Canon UK, said: "Our Canon ImagePress digital print technology offers them the flexibility to bring current digital work in-house, as well as taking on more short-run or specialist jobs, such as full personalisation and variable data printing, something that previously Stramongate has been unable to do."