A £200,000 investment in pioneering Swiss technology is set to help Ryedale Plas Tec Print, Kirkbymoorside, secure its place in the international phonecards production market.

The investment in state-of-the-art automatic ram-punch technology, coupled with an in-line shrink wrapper, will enable Ryedale Plas Tec Print, a specialist division of the Ryedale Printing Group, to keep pace with rigorous cost-efficiency and "just-in-time" response rates in the fast-moving market.

The high-tech equipment will enable Ryedale Plas Tec Print, which is also at the forefront of lenticular image technology in the UK, to produce up to 120,000 450 micron thick phone cards an hour and 90,000 750-micron-thick cards an hour in preparation for the introduction of PIN numbers.

Before buying the new technology Ryedale Plas Tec Print directors visited Switzerland to meet manufacturers of the equipment and see it in action.

Ryedale Plas Tec Print has become a major international competitor in the phonecards market despite starting production only 18 months ago and now manufactures for large international air time carriers for use in countries including Africa, Canada, Italy, Portugal and France.

The market is extremely fast moving, partly because of growing customer demand but also because cards with airtime installed through PIN numbers have a cash value which needs to be quickly recouped through sales.

Ryedale Plas Tec Print marketing director, Michael Waller, says: "We have made tremendous progress in this market in a relatively short time by listening to customer demands and anticipating the market direction.

"This was demonstrated by our being one of the first phonecards manufacturers to improve cost-efficiency by moving from 750 micron thick plastic card to 450 micron.

"This new technology will enable us to manufacture and shrink wrap cards in a continuous production and packaging process which will allow us to keep pace with demand in a rapidly rising market".

The Ryedale Printing Group, which was founded in 1953, has 40 staff and a £3.5m turnover. Ryedale Plas Tec Print also manufactures a wide range of products including mousemats, posters, plant labels and other innovative promotional items, often using eye-catching 3-D-style imaging.