Being the customers' boys in the next room – even though they may physically be miles away – is its winning edge.

Stephen Hampson, chief executive of the sponsors Business Link for Cambridgeshire, presented the award.

Immediately after receiving the award last year, Andy Connacher, managing director of Impress Repro by Design, said: "It feels great to win this – especially for all the staff.

"We are a great team and it is definitely the team that has won this award. Well done and thank you to all our staff."

Riding high after new owners moved in two years ago, the firm invested heavily in new technology, motivated staff and diversified its activities.

Its core reprographics business is scanning, type-setting and page make-up for magazine publishers.

And its hi-tech links enable customers to see in real time what is being done on screen and to ask for any changes to be made – giving the sort of control they would have if physically looking over the operator's shoulder.

Sales were up 20 per cent in the first year and are set to jump by a similar figure, to about £1.5 million, this year.

Employing 37 people the company functions in three market areas: publishers' reprographics; re-branding, typically in the point of sale field; and provision of digital print facilities.

A fourth area about to be exploited is selling clients' library images on-line.

FACTfile: Awards

BUSINESS Link for Cambridgeshire is once again backing the Evening Telegraph's 10th Annual Business Awards as sponsor of the much sought-after title of Small Business of the Year.

The closing date for the awards is this Friday, September 9.

This year's glittering gala night promises to be the "best yet" and will take place at Peterborough's Moat House Hotel on Friday, November 18, 2005.

Dermot Murnaghan, presenter of BBC Breakfast, will be this year's guest host.