High Wycombe-based Hartgraph, which was founded in 1984, bought the £400,000, B3 format Speedmaster 52 press, which has CIP 3 colour management technology, to improve efficiency and enable it to respond more quickly to the needs of its customers.

The new press, which was installed in March, joined the company's existing B2 format Speedmaster 74 and replaced a 15-year-old, five-colour Heidelberg MO.

Hartgraph owner Steve Walters said: "We chose the new press as we have been a Heidelberg house for many years and we feel their presses offer the best balance between performance and reliability, and because the machines tend to have a good resale value.

"Last year the company achieved a turnover of £2m for the first time, so it is a very exciting period for us, and we were pleased to be able to make this investment in the current economic climate.

"We financed the press through a combination of cash and a loan; we had four lenders who offered to finance the press so it was very straightforward. Hartgraph has always tried to differentiate itself by the quality of the service we provide and I feel that this is the key to our success."

Walters added that the company plans to make further investments in finishing and bindery equipment within the next two years.