Ace moved into wiro-binding three months ago after a customer enquired about school book production.

It installed a Mobi 500 closing line, an APSI coil inserter and a P500 desktop punch, allowing it to handle any book and calendar work.

However, the 14-staff company’s capacity was being held back because it could only punch around 200/300 books an hour.

The AP360 can punch 80,000 sheets an hour and managing director Rob Hart believes that it will increase capacity by three or four times and ensure punching is never again a bottleneck at the firm.

He said: "We have been producing quite well so far but we are already at full capacity. This will allow us to increase our workload and take on a lot more work. Wiro-binding was never something we had looked at, but when a customer enquired we decided to go with the flow. We won’t be looking to invest any more in the near future, but we will see what our customers are looking for next."

Traditionally Ace, which was formed by Hart six years ago, offered basic fold/stitch/trim work, as well as PUR binding.

Also at Northprint, Renz launched the Mobi 360, an entry-level machine for its wire closing range.

The £19,995 machine runs at 800 books an hour and can handle a few sheets through to an inch and a quarter, the thickest size that can be closed by machine.

It has been designed with quick changeovers in mind, there is no tool changeover required.