TMG bought a Fastbind Casematic H46 Pro large-format casemaker, BooXter binder, Elite binder and GBC laminator.

Although the investment was relatively small, director Julian Marsh said it was as important as the £3.5m it spent on new premises and an HP Indigo 7000 last year.

Marsh said: "At the time, our plan was to offer traditional litho customers the opportunity to print their short-run, four-colour digital work, such as business

cards. Photobook making equipment was not a priority until I did some research and found that it was still an untapped market.

"I found that for a relatively small investment of about £10,000, I could buy the equipment and consumables that would enable us to produce short-run, high-quality hardback photobooks."

Marsh added that the company was now targeting a £10m turnover based on the volume of work its new service had already brought in.