The B2 litho commercial printer replaced a 20-year-old Stahlfolder with a new £130,000 TH66 buckle machine with compression stackers to create 8pp and 16pp sections.

"The stackers are extremely good and save time on the Muller stitchline by about 20% because they take air out of the sheets," said managing director David Clarke.

Vario Press also replaced two Perfectas with two Polar 92X Plus guillotines, costing £38,000 each.

"The hardest thing with health and safety is guillotines and they have to be up to date and well serviced," he said.

"Polars are very sound machines. Heidelberg is ahead of the field with its finishing technology and we are confident in its ongoing service and support which has always been very good."

Clarke's investment over the past 18 months includes a refurbishment of his premises near Slough and the purchase of an Indigo press. The company also recently bought two five-colour B2 Sakurai 725s.

"It was the right time to invest in the future: recessions can throw up cracking deals. Sadly, you never have any money in printing because you are always spending it," he added.