A Shipley printing firm which makes Christmas cards for the Prime Minister is putting the finishing touches to a £3.5 million investment programme.

Herbert Walker & Son (Printers) Ltd is now the only printer in the country to have two seven-colour UV Heidelberg printing presses operating. Installed at the end of 2000 as part of a £3 million revamp, the new equipment works around the clock and has doubled the company's UV print capacity.

A further £500,000 investment in pre-press and IT equipment, designed to help the firm offer customers still faster response times and improved flexibility, will go ahead in the next few months.

The firm has supplied 10 Downing Street's official card for the last ten years.

Sales director Steve Whitley said: "The momentum of Herbert Walker & Son is derived from sound business investment, a long-standing reputation and an ability to expand our portfolio of products in line with a diverse range of business sectors, including direct mail, financial services, packaging and greetings cards.''

He added that investment in all areas of the business had meant that over the past four years the firm has halved print times and brought most of its design and production work in-house.

Managing director Arnold Guthrie said employee loyalty had been a major factor in the business's success.

"We seem to have long service or retiring awards almost every month," he said.

From its beginnings above a shop in Shipley 90 years ago Herbert Walker has grown to employ more than 140 staff at its Dockfield Road site. It produces around 50 million cards a year.

The company has also picked up 14 top printing industry awards, including seven Greetings Card Printer of the Year trophies, in the last eight years.