Redlin has installed the press so it can reduce the amount of stock it holds in-house.

The firms clients include The House of Commons, BP, Texaco and Panasonic.

Managing director Derek Faint said: "In the past we never saw the need for colour digital printing, but after investing in a single-colour digital press last year for a specific job, we began to realise how much potential there was in what we originally saw as a small, niche market."

SP Group, which counts Asda, Harley-Davidson and Hallmark Cards among its clients, opted for the HP Indigo to handle increasingly sophisticated work.

"Point-of-sale items are an important part of our business," said technical director Nick Stevens. "These are often highly creative items that need special attention."