The Roland 900, which replaces a Heidelberg Speedmaster, is part of a £2.5m investment that also includes a new Tharstern MIS package. The final choice of the press was between a Manroland and a KBA, with Paul Holden, managing director of Dobson & Crowther, saying the print quality on the Roland had swung it.

"These latest additions to our factory will provide us with the very latest in press technology, and an MIS system that will allow us to take advantage of developments such as JDF and JMF. The new  Roland 900, with its significantly faster make-ready capabilities, and the benefits of JDF, will allow us to produce 20% more work every working day," Holden said.

Dobson & Crowther is the UK's largest manufacturer of litho-printed envelopes, producing in excess of half a billion envelopes a year for the direct mail industry.

It also prints horticultural seed pockets, photographic systems bags, wallets; mailers, envelopes for school photos and recycling mailer bags.

Dobson & Crowther was founded in 1904. Between 1973 and March 2006 it was known as Smurfit Print UK, but reverted to its original name after a management buyout.