The firm, whose bindery kit is sold in the UK by Graphic Arts Equipment (GAE), is building a second manufacturing unit to bring parts production in-house.

Takayuki Fujita, Horizon International export manager, said at Northprint that the investment had come following massive growth in the B2 and B1 sectors.

"As the products are getting bigger, Horizon also needed a bigger factory to produce them," he said.

Tony Hards, GAE joint managing director, added: "Our core market is B3, but we have more machines in the B2 market, and we're now taking on the Akiyama B1 press."

The factory is expected to be completed by the end of the year.