The Glasgow-based business opted for the new machine as a replacement for its outgoing 10-year old Acoro A5 binder.

The Alegro will be used to bind a range of medical books and journals in runs from 400 up to 22,000 copies, cutting set-up times over the company's previous machine.

According to Bell & Bain managing director Ian Walker, the benefits of the company's new perfect binder is twofold.

He said: "First, compared to the Acoro we now have an increased production rate of 2,000 cycles per hour, which we hope will enable us to avoid our usual overtime shifts in the future. Second, we are also able to use the Alegro for digitally printed products."

Set for installation at the end of 2012, the Alegro perfect binder will arrive specified with an 18 station gathering machine, a Solit three-knife trimmer, a Universo stacker delivery and a CB 12 book stacker.

Bell & Bain's investment in the Muller Martini Alegro comes on the back of signing for its third KBA Rapida 142 press.

The large-format eight-colour perfector, which has been specified in a four-over-four configuration will complement two existing four-colour machines, eventually replacing one of those models.

Turning over more than £8.5m per annum, Bell & Bain has a client list that includes more than 150 customers.

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