The MasterCut Versa-Tech Series is two-and-a-half times more powerful and 20% cheaper than its closest competitor, claimed the Maldon-based company, which has been building cutting kit for almost 50 years.

Managing director Alex White said: "The kit is targeted at finishing for digital print companies, so anyone with a flatbed printer such as a Vutek or Océ will be interested.

"Our kit has a powerful 2.5kw water-cooled router allowing you to cut thicker materials in a single pass and at higher speed with a cutting speed of 1,500mm per second," he added.

The Versa-Tech cuts thin metal including aluminium, rigid board, Foamex, acrylic and wood up to one inch thick, White said. Cutting accuracy is to within 0.1mm. The device costs around £85,000.

White said: "We’re receiving feedback that our machines pay for themselves within as little as a year."