Partner Rod Richardson spent 40,000 on the two-colour Printmaster QM 46 to speed up turnaround on spot-colour work for stationery and other jobbing contracts.

"I like the quickness of everything, the speed of the set up and that the two colours go on to one blanket," he said. "This means registration can't go wrong."

He formed the company with Roger Taylor and Chris Wrightson in 1988 and they employ 10 staff in their base in Kettering, Northamptonshire.

The firm always relied on second-hand presses but it has bought two new Polar guillotines from Heidelberg in the past.

"As manageable monthly payments to the bank are cleared the company invests again," said Richardson, who balances two-colour work with a small amount of four-colour jobs.

Story by Jez Abbott