Sheffield-based Word for Word has invested £13,000 in a Tauler PrintLam 45 laminator from UK agent Friedheim.

The investment is expected to save the company around £500 a month in outsourcing costs, and Word for Word expects to have paid off the cost of the machine in the next couple of years.

Managing director and founder Colin McNeil said: "We were paying a minimum of £52 for every job we sent out, even if it was an 18-sheet job. We have been waiting for a machine like this to come along and expect to make huge savings."

Word for Word's new machine has been used to laminate flat sheets for items such as front covers.

The company currently employs three staff: McNeil, his wife and one employee. However, McNeil said he is to take on two apprentices, one of them his son, in a bid to give himself a rest and train up the next generation of the 20-year-old business.

He said: "We are a typical small business; my wife and I do 60, 70, sometimes 80 hours a week. We want to get these guys in and give them a trade, give them a career, not just a job.

"Hopefully my son will learn enough to one day run the company."

Word for Word deals with mainly local companies and organisations, including the local police force; local hospitals; advertising agencies and councils. The company specialises in digital print, but also has short run litho and large-format machines.