Washington Envelopes has spent £3m on machinery it says makes its plant one of the most modern in Europe.

The company, on the Hertburn Industrial Estate in Washington, Wearside, employs 140 people and is one of the top six envelope manufacturers in the UK.

The firm suffered a devastating fire last year, but has bounced back by investing heavily, and has attracted new clients.

It has imported several German Winkler and Dunnebier envelope manufacturing machines and Halm Jet Presses that overprint on envelopes.

The company's sales director, Julia Corkhill, said: "We are now turning out approximately 35 million gummed wallet-style envelopes every week, many of which use very cutting-edge designs and techniques.

"We need the very latest machinery the envelope industry has to offer."