The Printing and Document Services Unit arm of the force took delivery of the GAE-supplied BQ270jdf perfect binder off the back of an increased call for on-demand, perfect bound material.

The unit, which produces material such as training manuals and booklets, expects to make considerable cost savings with the new kit.

Printing and Document Services Unit manager Julie Griffiths, manager of the Printing and Document Services Unit said: "If the Home Office has sent out new legislation we need to get the booklets to our officers quickly.

"Before the binder was installed, that could be difficult, but now we have control of the product. And we can produce on demand rather than having to sit on stock."

The JDF/i2i compatible perfect binder offers a cycle speed of 500 books per hour in addition to a touch-screen interface, automated cover scoring and job memory storage.

Griffiths added: "We saw investing in the BQ270 as an opportunity to cut costs and seized it."

She said the print operation expects "to save anything up to £200 on every order and it will give us the freedom to produce the work when we need it rather than having to wait and hope".

South Yorkshire Police print production officer Garry Furniss said the new kit "couldn’t be easier to follow, and the finished product is really top quality".

The Horizon BQ270jdf will run alongside bindery kit including a Horizon APC 611 Guillotine.