The £75,000 machine was created by adapting a folding system to enable an inline tabber to be fitted.

Leicester-based CPF is to launch a tabbed leaflets product known as 'Tagserts', sealed with a printed or plain peelable tab, using the equipment.

The new machine, as well as a newly installed fourth stitching line, joins two offline tabbing machines currently used to seal leaflets, booklets and brochures for commercial printers.

CPF's investment responds to the increased demand for tabbed leaflets both in the UK and overseas. It will speed up the tabbing process and reduce prices for customers by running in-line with the company’s folders and stitchers, according to managing director Jamie Court.

He said: "We hope to offer this service to existing and new customers. It has brought in new work and we anticipate that this area will grow over the next two years."

He expected the machine to handle run lengths of between 5,000-3m.

Clinical will expand its services to further develop the product and introduce Piggy Back Tagserts.

The Tagserts will complement Clinical’s range of miniature multi-folded Outserts, used for patient information booklets and leaflets for pharmaceutical, cosmetic and healthcare markets.