The £1.5m-turnover business based in Hook, Hampshire, has invested £220,000 in a 2.4x1.2m Océ Arizona flatbed UV digital printer, and a matching DYSS X7-1624T digital cutter in a part-exchange deal with AG/CAD.

Cardmasters specialises in bespoke POS cardboard displays and card-engineered direct mail products but found its services were in demand for runs as short as 10 or 20 items as well as higher volume, traditionally printed and die-cut products.

Managing director Peter Burrell said: “We got lots of enquiries for short runs that we turned away. We decided that there was a fair bit of business to be had there. We get enquiries for all sorts of weird stuff and we produce wacky stuff all the time.”

As well as being more economical Burrell said the new DYSS machine was also much quicker than using a traditional die-cutter and did not require tooling.

“We can do things that we couldn’t do before. We can cut out 50ml foam on it. We can cut board at a 45° angle. Everything we do is bespoke.

“This will take us in to new areas and get us new customers. We’ll be able to grow our business on the back of it. Hopefully we’re going to see 20% growth over the next year or so on the back of this investment.”

The company was formed in 1994 and now has 14 staff.

AG/CAD sales director Andrew Boulton said: "It's great to see Cardmasters using the new DYSS X7 cutter in-line with the Océ Arizona printer in order to offer its customers even more products and services.

"We've had a long business relationship, over 15 years now, having supplied a KM603A sample cutting machine along with the Kasemake CAD software that Cardmasters' highly creative designers use to develop their products.

"The original machine was still working well, but the advanced features of the X7-1624T, along with its speed, accuracy and quality, offer a world of new opportunities.”