The device, which was installed earlier this week at the Normanton, West Yorkshire-based firm’s premises, will be operated on a flexible day shift. It has replaced a 1998 Polar 55EM, which has been sold on.

The Polar 56 ECO has a cutting width of 560mm, a feeding depth of 560mm and a maximum feeding height of 80mm. It also features 198 available programmes, LED lights which mark the cutting line and quick and easy knife change to help reduce maintenance time.

“Our old guillotine was starting to become expensive to maintain. We looked at everything on the market but the Polar build quality is right. We want a machine that will last ten or 15 years without going out of square because of wear and tear,” said print manager Andrew Warrender.

“It will be used for a wide range of commercial work, primarily our NCR and Pantone spot colour trade work and digital printed finishing.”

Normanton Advertiser also operates two Ryobi 520s, a Heidelberg Printmaster 46-2 and a range of finishing equipment including laminating, folding, die-cutting, saddle-stitching and booklet-making kit.

The company, which has four staff and a turnover of around £300,000, produces a range of commercial print, including business cards, leaflets, flyers, stationery, posters and letterheads, and offers a wide variety of trade services.

It also publishes The Normanton and District Advertiser, a weekly 8, 12 or 16pp freesheet with an average run length of around 8,500. The mono publication, which is printed on a Ryobi 520, makes up around 50% of the firm’s turnover.