Paper Guillotines - Buyers' Guide

Simply speaking, a Paper Guillotine is used to cut large quantities of paper efficiently and consists of a base with a moving arm which cuts the paper. It sounds like a simple task, but purchasing a guillotine can affect the whole productivity of your organisation as choosing the incorrect machine could lead to members of staff not using their time effectively. Therefore at Ruffles, we have created a simple “how to purchase” guide with some useful advice. Our staff are incredibly knowledgeable with over 40 years of office experience, so if you have any more questions please do contact us on 01293 775248.

Generally trimmers can be used to cut smaller quantities of paper and are therefore quite easy to transport. On the other hand, guillotines are used to cut much larger quantities of paper using a manual or electronic moving arm which cuts the paper.

Trimmers and guillotines are both used to accurately and professionally cut printed material (paper, cards, photos etc.). The quality of paper cutting depends on the price you are willing to pay and generally speaking the higher the price, the longer the machine will last. Our sales team have selected only high quality Trimmers and Guillotines so that the machines remain functional after inevitable wear and tear.

If you think that a Trimmer might be more appropriate then please see our Trimmers Buyers Guide here

We have a Paper Guillotines Wizard (above) that will help you to select the correct paper guillotine for your requirements.

Here is some advice that you should read ahead of purchasing a guillotine.

• Poster cutting
• Letter cutting
• Leaflet cutting
• Booklet cutting
• Flyer cutting
• Cardboard cutting
• Invitation cutting
• Business card cutting
• And many more

• In public services, governmental , workshops, multinational corporations, educational establishments and private uses
• Wherever substantial quantities of paper and similar materials need to be cut
• Cutting with minimal effort at short cutting time and large quantities
• Whenever a straight and rectangular cut is required

Our portfolio of Paper Guillotines will cut between A5 (and Photo) and A1 paper sizes. Please see below for the guide of paper size measurements:

• A1 - 841 x 594mm
• A2 - 594 x 420mm
• A3 - 420 x 297mm
• A4 - 297 x 210mm
• A5 and Photos - 210 x 148mm

We have segmented our website so that you can search for Paper Guillotines by the situation in which you will use them

• Personal Paper Guillotines – Ideal for home use, the Personal Paper Guillotines category features compact and efficient machines, cutting up to 15 sheets in one go. These Guillotines can be easily stored in the home both on a small desk or easily transported into a cupboard.
• Small Office Paper Guillotines – Our range of Small Office Paper Guillotines have a higher performance then Personal Paper Guillotines, as some will cut up to 40 sheets. Typically these machines will be ideal for organisations with under 5 employees, however this depends on the usage.
• General Office Paper Guillotines – Our General Office Paper Guillotines are relatively heavy duty machines that are best used within the office. These machines are hard wearing and some in the category will cut up to 45 sheets at a time. Typically these machines will be ideal for organisations with over 5 employees, however this depends on the usage.
• Professional Manual Paper Guillotines – Our range of Professional Manual Paper Guillotines are heavy duty, have a manual operation and with a maximum capacity of up to 700 sheets at a time. This will typically be used by commercial organisations requiring thousands of sheets needing to be cut per day.
• Professional Electric Paper Guillotines – Our range of Professional Electric Paper Guillotines are heavy duty, high quality machines that guarantee a quality batch cut. Many machines in this category will cut up to 800 sheets at a time. These machines are typically be used by commercial organisations requiring thousands of sheets needing to be cut per day.
• Ream Cutters – These are heavy-duty cutters that are ideal for cutting multiple sheets in one go. We have a fantastic range of Ream Cutters, with a maximum capacity of 800 sheets. These machines are ideal for copy and printing organisations, as well as educational establishments such as schools, universities etc.

Everyone one of your employees cost a certain amount “per hour” to employ, therefore every hour that someone stands at a Guillotine has an “opportunity cost” attributed to it. The “opportunity cost” here is that every hour spent by an employee manually “cutting” could be spent on something more economical for the organisation. Manually cutting paper means the member of staff has to physically operate the machine to cut the paper, whereas an some machines will automatically cut paper if necessary. Whether you choose automatic or manual will be down to the requirements of your organisation (price, quality etc.).

It is important to adhere to the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) and we are here to help. These Regulations, often abbreviated to PUWER, place duties on people and companies who own, operate or have control over work equipment. PUWER also places responsibilities on businesses and organisations whose employees use work equipment, whether owned by them or not.

PUWER requires that equipment provided for use at work is:

• Suitable for the intended use
• Safe for use, maintained in a safe condition and inspected to ensure it is correctly installed and does not subsequently deteriorate
• Used only by people who have received adequate information, instruction and training
• Accompanied by suitable health and safety measures, such as protective devices and controls. These will normally include emergency stop devices, adequate means of isolation from sources of energy, clearly visible markings and warning devices
• Used in accordance with specific requirements, for mobile work equipment and power presses