Workers at a Medway-based book printing firm have been warned their jobs could be at risk after Christmas.

CPI Mackays, of Badger Road, Lordswood, Chatham, has confirmed to union representatives and employees that a number of roles are potentially redundant and a period of consultation has begun.

The firm is blaming rising costs, coupled with falling consumer demand for a detrimental effect on turn-over

The precise number of job losses is not known but there are fears that it could be as high as 75.

General manager Ian Smith said: “It is with great regret that this decision has been made."

It was only in August this year that the trade press carried an announcement that CPI Mackays, the book printing arm of CPI Group,was undergoing a £6 million investment aimed at improving performance.

It was said capacity would increase by up to 500,000 books a week as a result of the new investments.

The CPI Group produce more than 500 million books a year and has manufacturing sites in France, UK, Germany, Netherlands and The Czech Republic.

Mackays is one of six manufacturing sites in the UK and has a workforce of 300.

In September this year, security guards were drafted in when a top-secret book printing job was carried out by the firm.

The company printed the first run of the controversial book, Life With My Sister Madonna, written by the pop diva’s brother, Christopher Ciccone.