The firm will target the kit at finishing divisions of book, magazine and cataloguing firms, said Kolbus managing director Robert Flather.

"The deal allows us to complete our finishing package of products and is a brilliant strategic move," he said. "Up to now we specialised in binding gear, but not end-of-line kit for packing."

The gear was very suited to wrapping books on a Ratiobinder line or inserting and bagging magazines on the back of a Publica binding line, he said.

CMC Machinery already has UK subsidiaries selling kit in other areas such as direct mail. The Daily Mail uses its polybagging equipment for its supplements.