The machine's major purpose is to back the launch of BOL's photobook service, The Photo Bookstore, later this month.

Through the website, users will be able to design their own photobooks, which will be printed and finished at Bookbinders of London's facility on Holloway Road.

Ian Bailey, managing director at Bookbinders of London, said: "Market stats show that there will be good growth in photobooks in the UK over the next four years.

"It is big in Europe but the UK has been slow; it is an excellent time to get involved. We expect to be able to make a 25% year-on year growth in the photobook market."

BOL installed a Xerox 700 press earlier this year, which will be used to print the books. However, there were concerns over the finishing, particularly when it came to working with coated paper.

"It is very important to me personally, and for the reputation of my company, to be able to honestly guarantee them 100% that the book will stay together," Bailey said.

"Printing on gloss paper, with a full print bleed, the binding can be a nightmare. In some cases hot-melt only leaves me 95% secure. With the PUR machine I am confident of making that 100% guarantee."

BOL will also use the machine for its other services, which includes the company's thesis binding business.

The machine comes with a Nordson PUR system. It features automatic glue pressure control and glue spine length control. The four book thickness and score positions can be controlled from the touch screen system.

It runs at 525 books per hour and has a stacker capacity of 200mm, with a warm up time of 30-40 minutes.