The contract, for an undisclosed value, means that the company has been granted a licence to use a special security printing technique to print the pre-paid indicator.

Mail Solutions sales director Suzanne Swinbank said that the win came after a tendering process that began a year ago and was secured on the back of investment in new equipment.

The envelope divisions core business is done on reel-fed machines like the Winkler & Dunnebier 102, but the Airletters will be done on a sheetfed machine, said Swinbank.

The Royal Mail Airletters will be printed on the companys Smithe RA 800 envelope converting machine, which has a twin window patching system and five flexo print units. The division also has seven W&D flexo presses and two Halm litho over-printing machines.

Mail Solutions managing director Alan Griffiths said that he was delighted to win the Royal Mail contract that demonstrated the companys ability to manufacture precision envelopes and meet its clients security requirements.