The Bradford-based company chose the new guillotine, which is due to be installed this month, as it already owns a Polar 115ED with a jogger and Transomat Downloader which staff have found to be "robust and productive".

The Polar 115X Plus features a touchscreen and updated Optiknife technology which makes knife-changing faster and safer than with earlier models such as the 115ED. It has a knife speed of up to 45 cycles per minute.

Alpha Media Solutions operations director Michael Ridgeon said: "The new guillotine will give us reliability, good clamp pressure and ease of use.

"Our background in finishing means we are all too aware of time constraints and as a company we try to make decisions that provide our customers with maximum choice and creative solutions but that are also process and labour aware so that we minimise waste and optimise efficiency."

Jobs that the new guillotine will be used for include the production of Z cards which are used for timetables and promotional work.