A North Wales firm that helps promote pop stars including Little Mix, Kathryn Jenkins and Sir Elton John has unveiled a £70,000 investment.

Powlsons Printers in Colwyn Bay prints thousands of flyers, banners and other material for top acts including Sir Elton John, Only Men Aloud, Jools Holland and Shakin’ Stevens as they appear at festivals and other venues across the UK.

The company also produces promotional material for big names at Parc Eirias in Colwyn Bay such as best-selling girl band Little Mix and rock legend Bryan Adams, who will be headlining there in summer.

In addition Powlson’s, which dates back to 1888, works with a host of local companies, from small businesses to large corporations. The company also support rock star Mike Peter’s fund-raising with NHS charity Awr Las plus prints Rygbi Gogledd Cymru’s match-day programmes and is about to produce the print work for hoardings around the town’s new council offices.

Increasing demand for instant printing has seen the company install a new £70,000 state-of-the-art digital printer to enable it deliver commissions more quickly.

Powlson’s Managing Director John Jones says the Konica machine will bring in more work, safeguard jobs and power the firm towards its aim of becoming the digital printing hub for North Wales.

John, who has just celebrated his 20th year at the helm of the company, said: “We’ve made continuous investment in the town and our business ethic has always been local jobs for local people. The £70,000 we have spent on the new digital printing machine is part of that.

“Powlsons has always offered a full range of digital, litho and large format printing but we were seeing the need from our customers to have their print jobs done faster, with much tighter deadlines, and the machine will enable us to do that.

“We can be even more accurate and will be able to print on different ranges of paper and board.

“This is an enhancement of the service we were already offering and will help us to go after new business and achieve our ambition to become the digital printing hub of North Wales.

“We have a team of seven people working for the company and the machine will also help to safeguard their jobs.

“We produce all kinds of work for local companies, such as leaflets, stationery and brochures, marketing and publicity material, election notices for Conwy County Borough Council, and programmes and other items for Rygbi Gogledd Cymru. It’s often very last minute when the club knows who is in the team, so we have to print the programme the same day.

“We have worked closely with Mike Peters from The Alarm for many years and have once again printed all the promotional material for his 10-day Walk By Your Side 130-mile trek in June to fund-raise for the NHS charity Awr Las and cancer services across North Wales.

“We strive to look after all our customers, whether they are big or small  – it may be a local firm needing a few business cards or a large company needing extensive marketing materials or a huge poster.

“Over the years we’ve produced lots of material for the stars for their appearances at venues across the country and, working closely with Conwy Events and promoters, at Parc Eirias Stadium.

“In the past that’s been people like Sir Elton John, Lionel Ritchie, Olly Murs, Sir Tom Jones, Jessie J and The Vamps rock band.

“The latest of these were Little Mix who is at the stadium on July 8 and Bryan Adams who’s appearing there the day after.”

John believes Colwyn Bay has a bright future thanks to business investments such as the one his company has just made and the work being done by organisations such as Colwyn BID, which aims to improve the conditions of the four main business communities across the Bay of Colwyn – Colwyn Bay, Rhos-on-Sea, Old Colwyn and Mochdre – and to attract more visitors, clients and customers to the area.

He said: “We contribute to the BID because we think it’s a good idea and has a good person in charge with Anna Openshaw. There is also an excellent town management team, which is extremely supportive to businesses.

“Colwyn Bay has to work together. The town is definitely going places and will become a business force for the region.”

The investment has been welcomed by Anna Openshaw, project manager at Colwyn BID, which was set up to revitalise the area.

She said: “This is a major investment in a substantial piece of equipment that will benefit companies in the Colwyn area. It means that the very best in printing technology is available right on our doorstep – there’s no need to look elsewhere.

“This investment will also enable Powlsons to be even more efficient when producing publicity and marketing material for a bevy of entertainment legends.

“It is good to see that events such as Access All Eirias is helping to support businesses in this area, so safeguarding jobs – both by bringing in thousands of visitors who spend in local shops, and also by commissioning companies such as Powlsons.”

Businesses in Rhos on Sea, Old Colwyn, Mochdre and Colwyn Bay voted to set up the BID, where firms pay a levy and the cash raised is used for projects to boost trade.

The non-for-profit social enterprise is aiming to revitalise the business communities across the Bay of Colwyn and to attract more visitors, investment and shoppers to the area.