Newspaper Presses -- Making Headlines

by chris bauer

Read all about it: The latest generation of newspaper presses are more than black-and-white machines churning out The Daily Rag. Color is here to stay—and newspaper press manufacturers are providing a column's worth of features and automated functions to advance newspaper printing beyond its traditional role.

"Ever increasing color expansion is an ongoing trend in the American and global newspaper market," says David Stamp, global director of marketing for Goss International. "This drives four-high tower addition projects to existing installed presses—a very topical subject in the United States in 2003."

Stamp sees many of his customers investing in press enhancements to extend current press life (i.e., digital inker upgrades for reduced waste and more accurate RIP pre-setting, paper width changes for material cost savings, etc.) and increasing press flexibility and daily running hours. News-paper presses can produce a wide range of commercial, as well as newspaper products, he points out, noting that Goss has some news-paper publisher customers running up to 24/7 production.

"Clients are looking for more flexibility from press designs, such as variable web width, alternating productions (multiple products from a common press), higher speeds, improved color registration, maximum utilization of color, and ergonomically sensible solutions for plating, maintenance and general operating parameters," adds Gary Owen, director of marketing and newspaper sales for KBA North America, Web Press Div.

When it comes to multiple web widths, KBA user Metroland in Toronto is a classic example, Owen contends. Metroland has the capability to allow a "double-wide" press to run anywhere from a 44˝ to 64˝ web width, he reveals.

On another front, the addition of color units continues to be a theme for many newspapers.

"We continue to see newspapers adding color capacity," observes Greg Norris, manager of marketing communications for Heidelberg. "The Roanoke Times, which is now installing the first Mainstream press in the United States, is a good example. When the new press goes on edition in the fall, the paper intends to print color on every page."

There is good reason for this move to color, Norris explains. "An increasing number of newspapers (especially smaller papers) are seeking to print additional jobs, such as semi-commercial work. This is a good way to maximize their return on investment. Consequently, these newspapers are increasingly interested in the versatility of the press system."

While the newest bells and whistles are often lauded, Norris suggests that project management and a partnership can be just as critical as technology. Newspapers are placing high value on a press supplier's ability to work with them to custom design a complete production solution—integrating the press with prepress, postpress and auxiliary components from multiple suppliers, he asserts.

"The exact formula is different for each newspaper, but all newspapers want presses that can deliver five features in combination: high print quality, high productivity, economical operation, versatility and reliability. As suppliers deliver more and more advanced press technology, it is important that they also build in corresponding advances in ease-of-operation and reliability."

Although press manufacturers seem to have a pacifier for every yearning of newspaper publishers, the purchase of a new newspaper press is, admittedly, a huge investment to undertake. The current economic and advertising climate might not seem the most promising, but presses are still selling, manufacturers report.

"During times of an economic downturn, we try to do everything we can to help our customers make the most of their equipment—to use it as efficiently as possible," says Vincent Lapinski, senior vice president of web operations for MAN Roland. "So we offer them advanced training, software upgrades and show them the savings they can expect by moving up to more advanced presses.

"Newspapers tend to hold onto their presses for quite a few years. The systems we're installing today are replacing machines that were new in the 1950s and 1960s. These machines are obsolete. They can't deliver the color that newspapers need, and their productivity leaves much to be desired. So, even during a downturn, it makes sense for a newspaper to invest in a state-of-the-art press because the ROI is so rewarding."

Meanwhile, according to David Moreland, vice president of sales and marketing with Dauphin Graphic Machines, there are ways for newspaper printers to upgrade their facilities affordably.

"The trends are toward more cost-effective central printing sites with large press configurations made up of one-around single-width four-high towers," Moreland notes. "These types of installations are less expensive than double-around and double-width solutions, both in terms of the equipment costs, as well as the building costs. Single-width installations offer more flexibility for producing high quality, four-color products for newspapers and various commercial products. Flexibility of color placement and uneven sectioning is becoming critical to staying competitive in the newspaper market."

Moreland says the stagnant economy is causing decision makers to be very cautious about not overspending on capital equipment and buildings. Newspaper printers, he continues, are looking to extend the life of current assets when possible by adding capability and capacity to existing installations, or consolidating print facilities and installing lower cost single-width presses and lower cost building solutions.

Capturing commercial work also helps to justify a new press. "Solna sees quite a few newspapers expanding into commercial operations to expand press utilization and to add efficiency, along with revenue, to their existing workflow," remarks Solna Web USA President Rich Kerns. "We also see newspapers upgrading equipment to allow this expansion with minimal manpower requirements. This is achieved through rapid and robust use of technology."

The current economy just adds to the urgency of upgrading and expanding into other segments of the printing market, Kerns says, noting that news-papers want to expand, not retreat.

"The expansion of cable TV, and often the unavailability of local TV channels on cable, brings about a new demand for local newspaper advertising. This demand very often brings with it the demand for higher quality and productivity—and press equipment that helps a newspaper meet these needs."

This expansion theme is echoed by Mike Shafer, national sales manager for TKS. He feels there are a lot of opportunities in a market filled with aging presses that are just waiting to be upgraded.

"This is a worldwide market with products being developed in other parts of the world that can then can be used in our home market," Shafer says. "Top management at some newspapers are considering new equipment technology as a way to improve their bottom lines.

"Most are holding back a little right now, but there is going to be a lot of pent-up demand once the economy improves. Some newspaper publishers look at this as good time to be buying equipment."

Building Better Bundles

Editor's Note: Following are some of the newest strapping and bundling systems available.

The Air Inline newspaper strapping machine, from Dynaric Inc., is being introduced at NEXPO this month. A unique feature is the ability for bundles to be accepted directly from the stacker unit and strapped in the same direction as the bundle flow. This offers newspapers that utilize a cross-tie application the ability to apply the first strap lengthwise and then have the bundle continue through the system directly into the next strapper for the cross-strap, without the use of a turntable. The Air Inline can strap at up to 34 bundles per minute. It uses an automatic, ultrasonic bundle sensor that can strap from large bundles to single copies with the optimum strap tensioning.

Circle 397 on Reader Service Card

EAM-Mosca offers high-speed TR Series systems with upstream and downstream integration capability, cross-strapping options, automatic strap tension adjustment and automatic strap loop ejection. They are PLC controlled with intuitive touchpanel interfaces. The sealer units are modular in design and facilitate quick exchange of modules in the event of a service requirement. A new strap tension feature automatically adjusts for varying height bundles by the use of an ultrasonic sensor that measures bundle height on entry into the strapping machine.

Circle 398 on Reader Service Card

Ovalstrapping Inc. has developed the Strapmaster NS, which is designed for the newspaper industry with a production rate of up to 45 bundles per minute. It is a fully automatic, in-line machine. Servo drives are incorporated to eliminate approximately 40 percent of the total parts on the previous machines. Servo drives allow infinite control over the conveyors, feed and tension system, as well as sealhead operation.

Circle 399 on Reader Service Card

From Muller Martini, the Avanti bundler can be integrated into any finishing operation. Neatly aligned, tightly compressed and strapped bundles allow greater output. Designed for in-line operation with web offset or gravure presses, it automatically handles press speeds of up to 120,000 cph. Servo-driven setup allows on-the-fly adjustments. Its menu-guided PLC controls further help to reduce the time interval between runs, so that more jobs can be produced on every shift.

Circle 400 on Reader Service Card