I did a quick search online last night for "paper
drill" and the results
 seemed to be US specific. I have never been in a print shop, so maybe they
 are common like you say. 
Like a paper shear, they are present in most print shops;
ALL print shops that do binding.
BUT, . . .
They are not big, glamorous, nor expensive (RELATIVELY!)
If you ask a print shop manager to show you or list their equipment, it
probably won't get mentioned.  If you ask about it, you'll get an, "Oh,
yeah.  It's over there."
They are taken for granted, but how else do you three hole punch
something?   In a flimsy office punch, five or ten sheets at a time?
--
Grumpy Ol' Fred                     cisin at 
xenosoft.com