Mills, who described his new role as "the best job in Cambridge" was previously chief executive of coding and marking firm Datalase, which licenses its laser imaged coating technology to several ink companies, including Sun Chemical and Flint, for use by FMCG firms for their packaging.

"Inca’s technology in flatbed signage and point of sale defined the standard and there are opportunities beyond that," said Mills. "I believe Inca will have a product to meet brand owners’ packaging requirements available within a three-year timescale."

Inca marketing director Heather Kendle added that packaging had always been one of the target markets for Inca since its inception in 2000, but the market and the technology had now converged.

"There is a consistent message from packaging clients that they want to reduce the number of SKUs and move to more print on demand to be more responsive," said Mills. "There is a supply chain model in packaging that needs to be looked at. To produce promotional campaigns at shorter notice you need to print much closer to the packing line than the current model."

Prior to Datalase Mills also worked as chief operating officer of printed electronics specialist Plastic Logic and as director of development for fellow Cambridge inkjet company Domino Printing Sciences.

"Inkjet has moved on in leaps and bounds in the last decade," said Mills. "I missed a couple of Drupas but what I saw there last year – with inkjet quality every bit as good as litho and flexo – re-energised me."

Acting chief executive Bill Baxter, one of the founders of the firm back in 2000, who returned to the helm following the departure of Linda Bell in April 2012, remains a board member at Inca and continues his consultative role with parent company Dainippon Screen.