manroland web systems Pressreleases

pressupdate: retrofit for operator technology and control console system

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:14:46 GMT

Customer “Aller Trykk” in Norway receives the latest drive and control console technology on its LITHOMAN

manroland web systems develops integrated solutions for retrofits on older printing presses to reduce press downtimes and associated costs while boosting the performance of the printing system.
Retrofits increase a printing system’s availability and keep its automation up to date. A retrofit optimizes system performance, combined with higher product quality and fewer production standstills.

Quantum leap in control, operator and drive technology
As the OMEGA DC drive system was getting on a bit, it was replaced with the latest SIEMENS drive technology. The customer benefits from increased support and stability through better diagnostic capabilities and improved synchronous run of the drive system. Web tension issues have become a thing of the past. State-of-the-art server technology from manroland web systems has been used for the control console system. The customer thus obtained the most up-to-date hardware, similar to a new printing press. In addition to the substantial improvement in press availability, the new PECOM functionalities also enhance operating comfort.

Kolbjoern J. Vogt, Service Manager at Aller Trykk in Oslo, explains: “The reason for this investment was to minimize production downtime, to improve the drive system, and to extend the lifespan of our equipment. Thanks to its outstanding project planning and implementation, we only needed minimal production adjustment. It was clear to see that manroland web systems is an excellent partner for conversions. Highly qualified technicians from manroland web systems cooperated perfectly with our staff. This provided us with the certainty we needed during the entire conversion process.” Since the retrofit, operation of the printing press has been absolutely stable and reliable.

Operating comfort at the control console
The quantum leap can also be felt when operating the control console. Support provided by the TSC team from manroland web systems is now being used even more effectively. “Training for our staff was very professional and efficient. All documentation was updated and returned promptly. Once again, we have a LITHOMAN that will continue to deliver its usual high level of performance and excellent print quality, now and in the future,” summarizes Kolbjoern J. Vogt.

Belgian Moderna: a year of good impressions

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:30:36 GMT

ROTOMAN DirectDrive makes short runs more profitable

The printing press celebrates its first birthday: for the printing house, this is an ideal point for a first check. Was the machine able to hold its promise? Was the investment worth it? The Belgian printing company Moderna checked its ROTOMAN DirectDrive, which was put into operation in time for the drupa 2012.
Moderna, the Belgian top-10 printshop, specializes in printing magazines, catalogs, booklets, and advertising brochures. For the production of mostly 16-page signatures, often short runs, Moderna selected the new highly automated ROTOMAN DirectDrive heatset commercial press with DynaChange imprint functions and numerous autoprint features. The printing system started production in May 2012, and is an important pillar in Moderna's business model, as Managing Director Eric Bongaerts explains: “With this investment, we want to kill two birds with one stone: on the one hand, to flexibly respond to the growing trend of smaller runs and, on the other hand, to decommission two older and less efficient presses.” With short changeover times and minimal waste, target group-specific production is expected to become even more efficient. These fundamental investment criteria, important for the production of short runs of magazines and catalogs, are just as important for the economic success of multi-lingual and regionalized advertising products. Eric Bongaerts says, “The trend has been leaning towards smaller runs for a few years now, especially for special interest and business magazines. That's why we've increasingly focused on these smaller runs that are becoming more and more elaborate with added gimmicks, samples, and supplements and have to be produced in ever shorter timeframes.“

Brilliantly regional
Today, it is clear that Moderna's plan paid off. In 2012, the pledged performances in terms of press speed and waste were reached within a short period of time, as well as the required printing and folding quality. Veit Müller, Executive Sales Manager at manroland web systems, knew that the die ROTOMAN DirectDrive would meet the customer's needs: “Together with Moderna, we checked what fits best with their business model. In the process, the imprinting unit with the DynaChange function proved to be ideal. Moderna can now offer its customers flexible text changes combined with efficient production. In times when print runs are split, this is becoming increasingly important. And if the fifth printing couple is not used for imprinting, you can use it for special colors or coatings to enhance the product.“ The ROTOMAN DirectDrive operates at 65,000 revolutions per hour, with a web width of 965 mm. The DynaChange printing couple is equipped with two motors and can move and adjust the cylinders to ensure that the web passes through the unused printing couple untouched and without diversions. Moderna and its customers also benefit from flying imprint changes. Individual short runs and part editions, on average 4,000 copies but some even fewer than 2,000 copies, can be printed quickly, flexibly, and cost-effectively. This enables language and address changes in regional supplements to be produced without the need to stop the press. The corresponding plates are exchanged in the fifth printing couple during production. The varied folding equipment with plow folds and a pin folder in a 1:3:3 system also allow for even more attractive printed products.

“Simply unheard of before now”
Moderna is certain: Increased efficiency is the result of the many technological innovations of the new ROTOMAN DirectDrive, the crucial factor being the autoprint equipment. This includes the Inline Control systems from manroland web systems and the AutoJobChange, which automatically initiates the required job changeover after the run target has been met. Eric Bongaerts is also impressed by APL (AutomaticPlateLoading): “With APL, the production changeover is extremely fast. An entire changeover with eight plates, including all wash-up processes, can be completed in less than five minutes (from good copy to good copy, where the actual plate change only requires about two minutes). The press presettings via the prepress connection with CIP3 also play an important role. Thanks to the innovations, we have saved 50 to 70 tons of paper each month that used to end up in the recycling bin. This amounts to €650,000 each year!" The new ROTOMAN DirectDrive and the 48-page LITHOMAN, delivered in 2008, have emerged as the perfect pair. Both presses together ideally cover the circulation range with varying run lengths, and Moderna can flexibly select the most efficient production system for the individual order.

For printers and economists
In the investment decision, the ROTOMAN won over not only the technical experts at Moderna, but – after an extensive market comparison – also managed to convince the economists. The accounting department is pleased by the increased productivity thanks to less waste. The savings due to decommissioning both old presses including their dryers are also impressive. Each year, Moderna saves around €65,000 euros in gas costs alone. “If you consider all its advantages and improvements, it is obvious that the ROTOMAN DirectDrive was the right decision and a worthwhile investment”, summarizes Eric Bongaerts.

ROTOMAN HiPrint goes glam

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 06:45:53 GMT

Toppan Leefung invites managers to an Open House event and orders additional ROTOMAN

High gloss is the name of the game at Toppan Leefung in the Chinese city of Shenzen. After all, this is where premium fashion magazines, such as the Chinese Vogue, are produced. On April 18, 2013, the printing company radiated even more brilliance when it received the managing directors and managers of around 20 leading webfed printing companies and their combined expertise. They spent the day as guests of an Open House event focusing on the ROTOMAN HiPrint press.
What does it feel like to be the Chinese pioneer of premium-quality magazine printing? Remarkably good, as showcased by Toppan Leefung Printing at the Open House in Shenzhen. The event was supported by manroland web systems and the papermaker UPM and demonstrated to the Korean and Chinese visitors what the ROTOMAN HiPrint is capable of. It printed the signatures of a current issue of the fashion magazine Marie Claire, a high-gloss product with high-quality photos and advertisements. Luxury goods are popular among the Chinese – and they also require an adequate outlet in printed media. Elle, Vogue, Ray, HIM, Bazaar, Marie Claire, Esquire, and Madame Figaro: a veritable Who’s Who of the Chinese issues of fashion magazines are all produced by Toppan Leefung, in addition to a number of renowned business publications.

New ROTOMAN order
Dr. Frank Tietsche, Vice President Sales at manroland web systems, emphasized at the Open House that “Advertising customers in China, whether from the fashion, lifestyle, or vehicle sector, have international and thus high demands on printing service providers. This means we have to implement innovative technical solutions in China to ensure performance and quality. The ROTOMAN HiPrint is an excellent choice here.” A recent development announced by manroland web systems at the event confirms the truth of the above statement – for its Shanghai location, Toppan Leefung Printing ordered another ROTOMAN HiPrint, which manroland web systems will deliver in the second half of the year.

Full utilization
Toppan Leefung also appreciates the all-out performance provided by the ROTOMAN HiPrint which took up operation in fall 2010. The ROTOMAN in Shenzhen achieves a utilization level that is unparalleled in China and also rivals that of many European companies. The single-web, 16-page ROTOMAN HiPrint produces up to 55,000 copies per hour and is equipped with a reel splicer, four printing units, a dryer with integrated afterburner, and a folder. The press also features the proven PPL system for automated plate change, tried and tested in various applications worldwide. Toppan Leefung values this example of German engineering, which is consistently used in the ROTOMAN and ensures top printing quality. The strong local service presence of manroland web systems rounds off the overall picture and guarantees a high level of production reliability – an important success factor in order to compete in a world of increasingly tight deadlines and dwindling budgets.

About Toppan Leefung
Toppan Leefung, with headquarters in Hong Kong and a member of the Japanese printing conglomerate Toppan Printing Co., Ltd., has produced in Shenzhen since 1992. This has allowed the company to provide optimal coverage in the growing Chinese market. Production sites have also been established in Dongguan, Shanghai, and Peking. Today, it is one of the largest printing companies on the Chinese mainland.

96-page LITHOMAN for Em de Jong

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 11:31:39 GMT

The most productive heatset commercial press ordered in Benelux

The Dutch printshop Em De Jong, Baarle-Nassau, has invested in a 96-page LITHOMAN, which will take up operation in early 2014. The performance and production flexibility of the new press from manroland web systems are enormous: it will replace four 16-page rotary presses.

Strong on the market with maximum web width: the 96-page LITHOMAN matches the success of the largest Dutch printer for retail advertising. How did Em De Jong decide on the investment? The printers sought a heatset commercial press that can produce a high variety of supplements with maximum performance.
The 96-page LITHOMAN fitted Em De Jong’s profile, who had already gained considerable experience with the operation of numerous presses. The tailormade folding combination also impressed the printers. Located on the Belgian border in Baarle-Nassau, Em De Jong wants to use the technological possibilities of the LITHOMAN to intensify penetration in nearby markets such as Belgium, France, and Germany. The company owns Dutch printing houses Janssen/Pers and Kampert-Nauta, and the Belgian Mercator Press.

New fold possibilities discovered
The heatset fleet at Em De Jong's Baarle-Nassau site is impressive: it already consists of eight heatset rotations between eight and 80 pages, including an 80-page LITHOMAN from manroland web systems. Managing Director Stijn de Jong explains, "Today, we need ultimate efficiency to produce more and more in ever smaller timeframes. This is only possible with continuous investments in the latest technologies. It's hard to believe that, until 2005, we were printing everything on 16-page presses.“ The 96-page LITHOMAN will be the highest performing heatset press in the Benelux region, set to produce certain orders more efficiently. Competition in the commercial sector is fierce and fast. Print service providers, too, are expected to be flexible while providing high quality up to the last copy, at low costs per copy. The 96-page LITHOMAN is the ideal choice for tackling these tasks and will produce nearly five million A4 pages per hour with a web width of 2,860 mm and eight ribbons. The Inline Control systems for cut-off and color register, as well as fan-out control, ensure optimum product quality. APL (AutomaticPlateLoading) automatically changes the printing plates (featerung an impressive 1.28 x 2.87 meters) on the printing couples. With an unusual fold configuration, Em De Jong will be able to produce an impressive variety of printed products: two folders have been integrated to enable both long and short grain production. This provides the printers with a competitive edge and offers customers true added value.

Guardian is “The Best of the Best”

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:09:03 GMT

Successes for manroland web systems customers at the 2013 Newspaper Awards

Companies that print on newspaper presses from manroland web systems had a good chance of a successful evening in London on April 24, 2013. As part of the 2013 Newspaper Awards, the Guardian won the Grand Prix award. The company's concept and its implementation with a COLORMAN proved a winning combination.

This year, the 13-member panel of experts again emphasized that the Newspaper Awards are not a pure beauty contest. The proven success of the published products submitted is as important as high quality content, layout, and printing. The results demonstrate that outstanding products and business models can be realized with the help of innovative technology. Eckhard Hörner-Maraß, Managing Director of manroland web systems, was clearly impressed. He was on-site and was able to congratulate the customers personally. “The Newspaper Awards are a huge event for the newspaper industry and we are very pleased with the successes of our customers. I would like to congratulate each one of them, including those nominated. It is impressive how manroland customers and their employees handle technological advances and translate them into creative, unique newspaper products. It makes us in Augsburg very proud.”

The winner
The English Guardian, famous worldwide for its high standard of design, was honored as “The Best of the Best” and according to two panel judges is a “great offering for advertisers to differentiate from ROP ads” and features “excellent color across sections.” With support from manroland web systems, the Guardian realized its variant of a Flying Page, called a “bookmark”, producing it in identical quality at its London and Manchester printing sites. Furthermore, “Guardian News & Media” received the environmental award for its publication “Volunteering Week”. The prestigious “Newspaper Printer of the Year” award was presented to Newsprinters with its printed titles The Times, The Sunday Times, and The Daily Telegraph. This award recognizes the consistent, flawless quality achieved for multiple published products produced across several sites – also a compliment for the COLORMAN, XXL presses that produce their newspapers. The London Evening Standard won the “Regional Newspaper of the Year” in the category over 25,000 circulation, a COLORMAN, XXL product, printed at Newsprinters in Broxbourne.

“Welt am Sonntag” honored again
Recently chosen as one of the most attractive newspapers worldwide, the German “Welt am Sonntag” confirmed its exceptional position as “International Newspaper of the Year,” winning over global competition. According to the panel of judges, COLORMAN printing quality goes hand in hand with the creative graphic presentation of contents: “a great package”. Equally impressive is “The Sun” with its “Coldset Supplement of the Year“. Supplements sell newspapers and the Sun's TV Magazine can be warmly recommended here. Another chance for the COLORMAN press line to shine: “A great example of what can be achieved at high-speed with full color,” the panel of judges stated. The Financial Times' “How To Spend It” was honored as the “National Color Supplement of the Year.” The panel of judges was “left speechless by its quality”, when commenting on the supplement printed on an LITHOMAN at Wyndeham, Peterborough.

Change and success at manroland web systems Inc.

Wed, 08 May 2013 08:47:58 GMT

After its first 12 months of operation, manroland web systems Inc. North America flourishes.

In March 2012, the North American branch of manroland web systems incorporated and began business in the United States and Canada. Specific and challenging goals were put forward for the company’s first year.

These goals included (but were not limited to) strengthening the parts and service support to existing customers, relocating the substantial North American parts inventory to a new warehouse in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, expansion of the printcom pressroom consumables product portfolio for US and Canadian customers, relocating North American Headquarters to a new office in Lisle, Illinois, and completing the year with a financial profit. Each of these goals, and more, were completed by the strong, seasoned team at manroland web systems Inc., under the leadership of CEO Roland Ortbach.

After experiencing a strong year, manroland web systems Inc. is now well-positioned and ready to move forward to the next phase of growth, to provide greater and more encompassing support for existing customers with new and exciting support programs. The challenges for newspaper and commercial web printers have become greater and broader as they adapt to their own ever changing market needs and demands. In the effort to develop meaningful service offerings to customers, company leadership has embraced the need to continually adapt and reformulate manroland web systems’ considerable support portfolio.

The next step in the company’s growth includes a change of leadership. Roland Ortbach’s commitment to the company’s first year of operation has now been fulfilled, and he will continue as Vice President of Sales for manroland web systems Inc. “I was very pleased to have had the opportunity to lead our team through our first year. We are now ready to move forward and our next critical phase of growth requires the leadership of an individual who has spent much of his career in the service and customer support area of our industry.”

New manroland web systems Inc. CEO Greg Blue will be taking over the leadership of the company, effective immediately. Greg brings with him 19 years of experience in the printing industry, including many years of service knowledge and management experience in a host of critical areas ranging from application engineering, project and support management and aftermarket business development.

“I’m excited to take full advantage of the opportunities manroland web systems has in its future. My primary goal is to search for new growth opportunities which will continue to strengthen existing relationships with our customers. The team in place in North America is a group of seasoned professionals, and I will be joining them with the goal of leveraging the globally-respected technology of manroland web systems’ products to make our customers the most successful in the print industry,” stated Blue.

Fairfax Media and manroland: partners in a pioneering restructuring project

Thu, 23 May 2013 11:48:12 GMT

Adapting newspaper production to changing market conditions

Fairfax Media Limited chose manroland web systems to make its newspaper production fit for the future: The company’s sites in Chullora/Sydney and Tullamarine/Melbourne are scheduled to close in June 2014. The production of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Australian Financial Review will be transferred to the sites in Ballarat, west of Melbourne, and North Richmond, north of Sydney.

Both sites are already equipped with manroland UNISET presses. To provide the necessary capacity and technology for the increased production volume, four manroland GEOMAN printing towers and one folder from Melbourne will be added to the North Richmond site. One of the GEOMAN towers will be combined with the UNISET through a specially designed turner bar system to achieve a greater page output.

The manroland UNISET in Ballarat will be complemented by a new reel splicer and a new printing tower. Another manroland GEOMAN tower in Melbourne will be converted for heatset production and added to the Ballarat installation. Additionally, manroland web systems is going to deliver a new dryer, chill rollers, a turning bar unit, and a folder with superstructure for the production of both newspapers and commercial products. The heatset web can run through one of the UNISET folders for mixed heatset and coldset production. An additional quarter fold has been ordered to optimize heatset production at Fairfax Media.

A new look: “square tab” newspapers
The specially designed turning unit on the heatset GEOMAN will give the press variable web width capability to create a new, special look: so-called “square tabs”, i.e. tabloid papers in variable square formats.

As part of the relocation project, a complete manroland GEOMAN will move from Melbourne to Fairfax Media’s Auckland/New Zealand site, together with an upgraded folder and superstructure from Sydney.

Lower costs, higher performance
Bob Lockley, Chief Executive for Print & Distribution at Fairfax Media, explains: “We’ve decided in favor of these fundamental changes to cope with upcoming demands on newspaper production. This helps us to ensure that our papers keep their leading position and remain an important voice in our markets.”

Steve Dunwell, Managing Director at manroland Australasia, says: “We’re happy to assist one of our key accounts in reducing its newspaper production costs and at the same time upgrading the quality and performance of its equipment. We are looking forward to providing our first-class printing technology combined with our project management skills to handle this project’s logistical and organizational challenges.”

Hannanprint: Moving into the future with 96 pages

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:41:36 GMT

Two-web LITHOMAN at the new Warwick Farm site

A new building, new installation, and a huge relocation project: Hannanprint presents Warwick Farm, one of the most modern printing centres in the world. There, southwest of Sydney, the currently largest heatset webfed press in Australia started production at the beginning of 2013. One new
twin 48-page web LITHOMAN printing 96 pages in one go. Three additional commercial presses moved from the Alexandria site to Warwick Farm. A massive project, which Hannanprint and manroland web systems Australasia have managed successfully and to schedule.

LITHOMAN instead of gravure printing
The framework data reveals the project size and significance: Hannanprint, a business division of the marketing group IPMG, invested 90 million Australian dollars (approx. 68 million euros) in the new "Warwick Farm" site. 280 people work at the new, highly automated production site covering an area of 12.9 ha. The technological heart of the project is the new LITHOMAN running twin 48 page webs producing 96 pages in one go. The Australians had planned to use gravure printing, but in 2011, they decided in favour of commercial web offset production. Their decision was based on the development of run lengths and the possibility of integrating offset-produced sections. Additionally, Hannanprint employs highly qualified printers and operators who are already familiar with offset and LITHOMAN technology. The twin web 48-page LITHOMAN, each web with a width of 1,460 mm, print on a total of eight printing units in a multi-level arrangement. In fact, the press is one of the few world-wide that can print 96 pages in one go. The speed of 45,000 cylinder revolutions per hour and the LITHOMAN printing systems‘ autoprint equipment ensure maximum capacity and productivity. Automation includes quick changeover with APL (AutomaticPlateLoading), the AutoJobChange control package with QuickStart pre-inking function as well as the quality-assuring Inline Control systems for cut-off register (InlineCutoff Control), ink density (InlineDensity Control) and color register (InlineRegistration Control). In the PressManager printnetwork, all production information merges. As a result, the production manager can plan and control the technical workflow in a highly user-friendly and efficient manner.

Project specialists roll up their sleeves and lend a hand
Two “expensive and challenging years” are the price, explains Tony Dedda, Managing Director of Hannanprint, to now “profitably meeting customer requirements with a well-equipped, efficient, and versatile printing site.” He is once again recalling the extent of the undertaking, saying, "We believe it is the largest relocation in the history of the printing industry in Australia." In addition to new investment, the service team at manroland web systems Australasia handled the relocation of three manroland commercial printing presses. Two 48-page LITHOMANs and one 32-page ROTOMAN in a multi-level arrangement moved from the former Alexandria site to Warwick Farm. The machines will benefit from a technological upgrade with InlineDensity Control systems. The Alexandria site will be closed in mid-2013 and undergo redevelopment. Steve Dunwell, Managing Director of manroland web systems Australasia says, “Planning, disassembly of the equipment, transportation, and reassembly: we have shown how enthusiasm, experience, and know-how can be translated into successful project management.”

Peak performance through and through
Hannanprint's reorientation and investment has a single target: “peak performance” in all sectors of the company. This will further increase the company's competiveness. The highly productive and automated LITHOMAN press will show its strengths in this challenging environment, explains Tony Dedda, Managing Director: “We do not expect any significant improvements in market conditions during 2013, but we will profit from the efficiency of the larger and better-situated production site, which is equipped with the latest printing technology, offers customers excellent service, and helps us to keep costs under control.” News Limited and Fairfax, for example, have concluded long-term contracts with Hannanprint to produce most of the magazines that are enclosed with their newspapers. Production facilities at Warwick Farm are equipped with the latest technology to make them even more energy-efficient and sustainable. Two examples: dryer heat recovery supports the air conditioning of all production areas.

Since the IPMG Group purchased its first LITHOMAN in 1999, manroland web systems has worked in close partnership with the Australians. “We are proud to help shape the new Warwick Farm site because it is a flagship for the printing industry,” explains manroland web systems. Steve Dunwell adds, “Warwick Farm is one of the most modern and highly-automated printing centres worldwide. We are happy to play a meaningful role in this future-oriented venture. We are sure that Hannanprint has chosen the correct strategy.”

LEYKAM Let’s Print invests in a 64-page LITHOMAN

Tue, 07 May 2013 11:18:04 GMT

First commercial printing system from manroland web systems at Břeclav site

LEYKAM Let’s Print has ordered a 64-page LITHOMAN for its Břeclav site in the Czech Republic. Based in Graz, the Austrian concern currently numbers among the top commercial printers in Europe. With its latest investment, the LEYKAM Group has further strengthened its position in the East European printing market.

Currently equipped with four rotary presses, the Břeclav team produces magazines, catalogs, and advertising inserts in medium-sized to large runs. 50% of production is destined for export. In addition to the Czech market, the company also caters to customers in Central and Eastern Europe. “Our customers will be extremely pleased,” says Michael Steinwidder, Chairman of the Management Board at LEYKAM Let’s Print, with enthusiasm: “The new 64-page LITHOMAN will be one of the most productive, state-of-the-art commercial press systems in Eastern Europe. It will replace an outdated 16-page rotary press,” he explains, adding: “Here at LEYKAM, our customers’ requirements are very important to us, especially the need for shorter production times. Our versatile production possibilities allow us to satisfy virtually every product requirement with both efficiency and excellent quality. This makes us a reliable partner for our customers.” With a speed of 50,000 cylinder revolutions per hour, the 64-page LITHOMAN gives us the required flexibility. It is scheduled to be up and running by late 2013.

The press is equipped with several autoprint features. AutoJobChange initiates job changeovers automatically as soon as the preset value for a run has been reached. Plate changes are fully automated thanks to APL (AutomaticPlateLoading). Inline Control systems, which are used to control the cut-off register, ink density, and color register, ensure the trademark quality of Moraviapress. At manroland web systems, Vice President Sales Josef Aumiller is looking forward to the project: “LEYKAM Let’s Print and manroland web systems are excellent collaborators; we witnessed this once again in Müllendorf last year. We want to pick up on this success in Břeclav.” At the company’s Müllendorf printing site, a 48-page LITHOMAN started production in September 2012. It is the most productive rotary press in Austria, delivering a printing speed of 70,000 cut-offs per hour.

manroland web systems: "Well thought-out triple circumference"

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:02:06 GMT

A holistic solution for 150 percent productivity in newspaper printing

Six broadsheet newspaper pages in the web width and three in the cylinder circumference. All of this at 40,000 cylinder revolutions per hour. That means 1.44 million newspaper pages per web or up to 120,000 copies per hour in straight production. With this concept manroland web systems has achieved new dimensions in productivity and flexibility for newspaper printing. The highlight: when using the special PFN 35 folder up to three different editions can be produced simultaneously, and with deserting even more.

Reader-friendly and economical
manroland web systems has embraced the benefits of the triple circumference for industrial applications even for new machine projects and developed an integral, user-orientated concept. Alongside the higher productivity, cost savings can therefore be achieved for paper, consumables and personnel costs. Both readers and advertising customers love the convenient, layout-friendly format of the newspaper. To date triple circumference machines were primarily sought after as retrofit solutions for coldset newspaper printing following narrowing of the web width. Here printing houses had to accept diverse compromises for example in automation, print quality, settings, and operation, despite the relatively high investment costs. Most were designed using conventional folding systems. These concepts have therefore been rarely realized to date.
With the holistic concept of manroland web system, available for both new machines and retrofit solutions, the possible cost benefits in production, investment, and consumables can now be fully exploited.

Three newspapers simultaneously per cylinder revolution - 120,000 copies per hour
The core of the concept is the cylinder with three copies in the circumference and six in the width. One lock-up channel receives the printing plate that corresponds to the cylinder circumference, on which three sujets are positioned. An additional cost-attractive option is represented by the 90° position between the printing towers and the folder superstructure. This allows the triple-width unit to be operated like a single-width machine after the printing blanket. The folding system used is the pin folder system PFN 35 with a three-part blade cylinder and a five-part collecting cylinder. The delivery is performed via three copy deliveries with a delivery fan in a continuous shingle-stream. This makes the 50% higher productivity of the concept manageable for the mailroom with existing components. Further production options are provided by the use of an off-set former for the deserting of copies as well as for the collection, if a larger number of pages is to be produced.

Pin-sharp and highly-productive
Production in triple circumference is offered by manroland web systems for the COLORMAN and GEOMAN series. In particular the COLORMAN e:line, although also the GEOMAN, provide new possibilities for the production of advertising inserts due to its high printing quality along with the high flexibility of the triple circumference. Both series have the option of a 11-roller inking unit with three ink vibrator rollers and three ink form rollers, the basis for a uniform print image on full surface ink application. The COLORMAN e:line also shines with a format-sized damper roller for extra low-ghosting printing. Depending on the customer's request advertising mediums can be produced in coldset at high quality, which were previously only possible on commercial heatset printing or newspaper printing units with heatset dryers. Furthermore the high-brilliance printing allows the full advertising effect even for smaller advertising formats, which arise from the altered format.

The golden rule for newspaper layouts
Printing houses all around the world are fighting falling circulations, lower advertising revenue, and higher costs for consumables and personnel. Printers have to be able to systematically implement more economical production concepts of this kind to achieve quick increases in productivity. In addition to the very successful "pressupdate" offer, manroland web systems is also expanding its range of offers to help sustainably improve the profit situation for print companies with another new Business Unit – "print.competence" under the management of the experienced Graham Wickham.
Particularly in North America, companies often use web width reduction on existing machines to lower costs. Usually however, this creates very high, less reader-friendly newspaper formats. With triple circumference production, manroland web systems is now providing the opportunity to create compact, easy to handle newspapers editions which therefore meet the desires of readers and advertising customers, by fully using the efficiency potential of the concept. The proportions of the golden rule are thus returning to newspaper layouts in North America as well.

The folding system with triple delivery saves time and money
The concept has been well thought-out right up to the details. manroland web systems can rely on its know-how from heatset off-set with 96-page systems, and thereby on developments which allow the separation of copies for delivery in three continual shingle streams. The diverter initially separates one copy from the product flow and then splits the two remaining copies into two streams. This permits high productivity in triple circumference printing even with normal print finishing lines at normal speeds. No investment is needed here in expensive high-performance systems. Furthermore the delivery via three shingle streams offers one further additional benefit: at similarly high numbers of copies and pages up to three different newspaper copies can be produced simultaneously using the PFN 35 folding unit. This saves on the one hand investment costs, and on the other hand this method of production saves time. The editorial deadline can be moved back or the delivery can start earlier. Of course for one-up jobs the production is also possible via a shingle stream.

Bucks County Courier Times Completes Web-Width Reduction with manroland web systems

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 05:23:11 GMT

Significant cost savings and efficient installation benefits Pennsylvania newspaper

Courier Times decided to move forward with the web-width reduction, reducing their web-width from 50 inches to 44 inches. The reduction was completed in Q1 of 2013.

Nelson Mallon, Pressroom Manager at Courier Times, described why the company decided to go forward with the web-width reduction. “We wanted to control rising newsprint costs and become more competitive in pricing commercial work. We are already seeing newsprint savings and improved reproduction quality. As part of the project we replaced rollers & blankets so combined with that and the work done on registration pins our quality has improved,” stated Mallon.

manroland web systems was chosen for the job because of the company’s ability to provide a complete package, including Project Management, factory-trained technical excellence, and the logistical knowledge needed to implement the changes with a minimum of interruption to current production schedules. “Due to several conference call meetings and the exchanging of work schedules we were able to successfully plan around the interruptions,” said Mallon about the manroland web systems install team, “They all did an excellent job.”

In addition to the web-width reduction, Courier Times also selected to perform an upgrade to the PECOM system (the production management system used with the GEOMAN press) which will provide the company with the latest technology available. “We see the PECOM upgrade as a way to assure them that their press equipment will be a dependable resource for the future,” stated Bill Reiser, printservices Consultant for manroland web systems, “With the increased security and productivity, this upgrade is also a smart solution.”

Bucks County Courier Times is owned by Calkins Media, serving communities across the U.S. through print and online editions in suburban Philadelphia and Pittsburgh markets, New Jersey and Florida.

World premiere in Kempten, Germany

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 14:15:06 GMT

COLORMAN e:line in operation at Allgäuer Zeitungsverlag

Full speed ahead: at the start of production at the Allgäuer Zeitungsverlag in Kempten, Germany, 280,000 regional advertising supplements were printed by the COLORMAN e:line. The advertised food items looked mouth-watering – an indication of the excellent printing quality of the 64-page coldset web press from manroland web systems.

Since January 2013, the world's first COLORMAN e:line has gradually taken up full operation in Kempten. Prior to that, the eleven-member service team of Allgäuer Zeitung and manroland web systems had perfectly coordinated the project stages since delivery of the press in mid-2012. Not even the adverse weather could dampen the enthusiasm of everyone involved. This also included the Prime Minister of Bavaria, Horst Seehofer. He was one of the first to visit the publishing house and the new COLORMAN e:line. The keen breakfast newspaper reader summed up his impressions of the innovation: “The future is happening in Bavaria.” As head of the Free State of Bavaria, he was especially pleased by the cooperation between the Bavarian companies. While Seehofer was not the only one to be impressed by the brilliant colors of the freshly printed Allgäuer Zeitung newspaper, he also emphasized the importance of newspapers’ editorial quality. Allgäuer Zeitungsverlag is consistently working on comprehensive quality as the basis for its competitiveness. This is why the COLORMAN e:line has replaced two competitor presses from 1998. The company Allgäuer Zeitungsverlag invested 18 million euros in new pre-press, printing, and distribution technology. “This is definitely a great amount of money”, said Managing Director Markus Brehm. “We have to invest to remain technologically ahead. Those who benefit from the improved quality and the quick, flexible production are our advertising customers and readers, as well as our staff.”

Automated operator bliss
During the preliminary meetings, manroland web systems internalized the wishes of Allgäuer Zeitungsverlag and then implemented them technologically. Today, it would be correct to say that for manroland web systems and the customer, the COLORMAN e:line is “the” press of the future. Josef Aumiller, Sales Manager Germany at manroland web systems, says: “The aim was to replace two machines by a single one with a comparative print/time ratio, which requires quick, flexible, and stable print production. This is accomplished by short makeready times and high printing and operating quality, which allows us to deploy our staff efficiently.” For Wilfried Sutter, Technical Manager of Allgäuer Zeitungsverlag, the accelerated makeready times are especially crucial in everyday operations: “One of the great advantages is the fact that makeready times are reduced to approx. three minutes per regional issue. This used to take twenty minutes to half an hour on the old press.” After all, the publisher must produce eight regional issues of the Allgäuer Zeitung every day on workdays. Staff were trained up front and are excited about working on one of the world's most advanced newspaper presses. Their list of favorite features is topped by the automated plate logistics, which vastly facilitates work processes. Its central element is the fully-automatic, robot-assisted APL plate changing system that dramatically accelerates makeready times and thus production. The operator controls the plate changing process from the central control console. Here, the plates are placed in transport baskets. They are then transported to the APL robot with a home-built lift to the upper printing couples, where they are changed. This eliminates the top operating level and the operator no longer has to run up and down stairs. Sound-proofing on the press’s printing units is another feature that is greatly appreciated by staff.

Harmony inside and outside
The exterior of the COLORMAN e:line is particularly distinguished by the use of new and intelligent materials. Instead of sheet metal, which is limited in terms of design and touch, synthetics with a resistant, easy-to-clean surface are used. The creative illumination design highlights and delineates the press functions. The result is a revolutionary printing press design that Markus Brehm fully appreciates: “Today's presses must be able to do more than just print, they must be “catchy”, with an impressive exterior.” This can enhance sales – first potential customers have already contacted the printing company. The interior traits of the printing system are also up to par. “The COLORMAN e:line consists of a coherent system,” explains Markus Brehm. “In addition to the printing technology, this also includes excellent accessibility, for example to the roller-wash-up devices.” The ergonomic advantages are in line with the expectations of the Kempten-based company: “We want to create a homogenous working environment for our employees, coupled with a high quality of work.” The COLORMAN e:line is equipped with four printing towers in a blanket-to-blanket design, four reel splicers, and two folders. A third ink form roller improves the print quality. Many automated measuring and control functions ensure quality, efficiency and a stable printing process. With a web width of 1,400 mm and a cylinder circumference of 1,020 mm, the press will produce copies of the Allgäuer Zeitung in Rhinic format with up to 45,000 cylinder revolutions per hour. Advertising journals and contract printing orders are added to this during the day. It is possible to print up to 90,000 newspaper copies per hour at a printing speed of 12.75 m/s.

Quantum leap in digital finishing

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 13:18:26 GMT

manroland web systems presents premieres in digital newspaper and book production

Digital Inline-Finishing is evolving at lightning speed: in Augsburg, manroland web systems presented the world premiere of its FoldLine finishing system for industrial digital printing. Of equal interest to guests: the book block solution FormerLine and efficient workflow solutions.
Ultra-small regional runs for newspapers, targeted advertising, and print-on-demand in book printing: digital printing systems create added value for successful publishing. As part of the 2013 Océ International Inkjet Days (March 19 - 21) in Poing near Munich in Germany, manroland web systems demonstrated its latest digital production systems to around 100 trade visitors. Alwin Stadler, Vice President of Digital Printing at manroland web systems, explains the company's innovations: “We are establishing finishing as a central system component in digital printing systems and ensuring integration into the customer's workflow.”

FoldLine for digital newspaper production
The FoldLine finishing system for industrial digital printing also celebrated its premiere. The system is able to produce newspapers in any format (tabloid, broadsheet, Berlin) in both in-line and off-line operation. Also included in the FoldLine portfolio are brochures, magazines, and individual book signatures. Its performance is clear: FoldLine is designed to produce up to 96 pages (48 pages broadsheet) with a web speed of up to 300 m/min and a web width of up to 1,060 mm. The system can output up to 2,700 broadsheet newspaper copies with 32 pages, 9,100 bound brochures, or 14,000 16-page signatures per hour. FoldLine can quickly be prepared for new jobs: the makeready times for format and paper changes are minimal, and changes to volumes can be made without interrupting production.

The presentation of FoldLine in Augsburg demonstrated what efficient and creative digital newspaper production looks like today. The first product was a 32-page tabloid newspaper in 420 mm x 600 mm format. Eight sections of four pages were collected and folded. The delivered result won over the visitors: ultra-small print runs under 100 copies can be produced one after another, without any interruptions, even if the total number of pages or the book structure of the individual editions vary. This tabloid newspaper featured an added variant, a fold for delivery. This means the newspaper was given a quarter fold as a third fold and delivered at a right angle to the folder via the A4 delivery.

FormerLine for digital book production
Producing with print-on-demand to optimize costs and being fast on the market: these are the challenges of digital book production. The FormerLine system stands for its industrial dimension. Both inline production and offline finishing of preprinted reels is possible. Together with the VBC collator from manroland web systems, the system generates stacked signatures of up to 6,000 auxiliary-glued books, up to 100 mm thick, per hour.

In Augsburg, the FormerLine system displayed its flexibility in offline finishing with a book and a magazine each. The products varied in format, folding sample, and collection structure and were placed on a pre-manufactured reel for mixed production. 38 signatures, 8 pages each, were collected for the "Innovations" technical book with 304 pages (bleed size 240 mm x 190 mm; double parallel folding sample), 100 books were produced one after another. Then, production was switched to a 42-page specialist magazine in a matter of minutes without manual intervention on the folder or cutter. Consisting of 7 signatures, 6 pages each, the print run included 300 magazines (bleed size 230 mm x 334 mm; accordion folding sample), which were delivered as auxiliary-glued books blocks.

Well networked: printnetwork Bridge and DigiLink
printnetwork Bridge uses a JDF/JMF link to create a complete and efficient digital production workflow. The software connects production preparation, the printing process, and postpress, allowing for automated finishing, automatic production change, low printing substrate use, increased productivity, networking with the production environment, and data transfer/reporting to MIS systems.
DigiLink connects the product planning of digital printing and off-set printing. Currently, productions are mostly planned and run separately, depending on the process  resulting in inefficiency, higher storage costs, and overproduction. DigiLink is a software module from manroland web systems that is available as an upgrade or complement to the PECOM PressManager. DigiLink allows planning of offset and digital productions from a central workplace, including parallel monitoring of production during printing and in the mailroom.

Retrofitting at News Limited – An Australian-German success story

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:49:29 GMT

Retrofitting and modernization replace reinvestment

Newspaper publishing companies around the world are still facing many challenges. Print runs have stagnated or continue to fall, while advertising customers are investing considerable amounts of their budget in electronic media, which is also permeating more and more editorial content. And this is exactly where the dilemma starts for many of these companies; turnover and profit need to be secured, however, with what strategic, competitive solutions?
manroland web systems, one of the world’s largest newspaper publishing companies, together with News Limited in Australia, a company of the international media company News Corporation with headquarters in New York, have come up with a solution.

Retrofitting and modernization replace reinvestment
News Limited has taken the decision to invest in retrofitting, on the one hand in order to ensure its machine equipment at the Brisbane, Sydney and Townsville printing locations remains up-to-date for the next 10 to 15 years, and on the other, to actively strengthen business. It is also fundamental for the headquarters in Sydney to generate valid, standardized print data reporting. All locations within the group can thus be controlled in an integrated framework, and production processes made more efficient in the future. The sophisticated autoprint functions from manroland web systems were another decisive reason for investment.
Together with the printing press manufacturer from Augsburg, a long-standing partner of News Limited, the newspaper publishing company is now taking another step forward – through modernization and retrofitting instead of reinvestment. The company is poised to equip all of its print lines with the latest technology. All four NEWSMAN (COLORMAN) lines at the Brisbane production site have delivered results consistently and reliably for the past two decades and will now be upgraded with a number of innovative automation and reporting features.

This retrofitting project is particularly interesting because it offers an alternative to the common belief that a machine park that is no longer up-to-date requires costly reinvestments. Thanks to the latest automation solutions and a trend-setting operating concept with manroland web systems’ state-of-the-art ControlCenter, another highly automated and high-performance printing system is ready for use.

For News Limited, this means greater production reliability through the use of modern electronic components and autoprint functions, reduced production costs as a result of more efficient production processes, plus better print quality – and thus a watertight investment for the future. This comprehensive retrofitting project will be taking off in Brisbane from the middle of this year, providing News Limited with the opportunity to further cement its top spot on the Australian newspaper market.

Potential for improvement realized through automation
In the future, automation and reporting of a printing system will be crucial factors for constant and reliable production and production planning, in addition to hardware and software. Module performance and intuitive operation are playing an important role here. News Limited is replacing all central control consoles with the new ControlCenter from manroland web systems. Highly automated, coordinated autoprint functions control the complete production process from the automatic startup of the presses to the finished printed products in the delivery system. The ControlCenter guides the printer through the entire printing process – as easily and conveniently as a navigation system. The printer no longer manually intervenes in the printing process, but is instead responsible for simply monitoring the production process.
At the same time, new manroland web systems components, with their comprehensive and modern control features for convenient operation, are replacing the outdated control units from Reliance. News Limited has made the conscious decision to go for a tailored, embedded solution from manroland web systems. Its perfectly coordinated hardware and software ensure optimum function and availability of the print systems.

Network solutions for the entire workflow increase efficiency
The printnetwork Monitor facilitates a detailed and transparent assessment of all production data, from pre-press to paper handling, up to printing and finishing.
The advantage? Greater production efficiency in terms of both technical and commercial aspects as the error ratio is virtually zero, leading to remarkable saving potentials. Furthermore, the new printnetwork Mobile ensures absolute mobility. The user is kept updated with the latest production data on his mobile phone and is thus able to conveniently monitor ongoing production, without needing to be on site. This has been made possible by the DataCollect function which, based on log book recordings, collects and analyzes all press data. For comprehensive reporting allowing for human involvement, data can also be recorded manually. DataCollect thus offers an ideal basis for quality analyses, in order to fully exploit the potential for continuous improvement in the production process.

Through the integration of new automation features, such as the Inline Control systems, quick start, as well as the production planning tool with monitoring and reporting, News Limited will manage to considerably reduce waste, as well as increase production efficiency.

In line with this “press facelift”, News Limited is also using the improved tools of the TSC (TeleSupportCenter). The remote access function, for example, allows manroland web systems to directly access the functions of the NEWSMAN installations online, across the entire production line from the reel splicer to the folder delivery, and 24/7. The printing system is thus ready to go again after a press stop in no time at all, in other words, long and expensive downtimes have become a thing of the past.
All of this means far greater efficiency for News Limited. More streamlined processes create potential for leaner production, thus resulting in considerable cost savings.

Cooperation with competent partners
The extensive retrofitting project will be carried out by News Limited in close cooperation with ABB Printing. ABB supplies all drive control systems for the main drive control of printing units and the folder for all four print lines. Proven solutions from manroland web systems and ABB are providing News Limited with the ideal foundation for achieving ultimate efficiency.

Close customer relations and quick response
A tight-knit project team has made it possible to quickly implement the challenging retrofitting project, with less than six months between the purchase decision and the actual project start. And once the first installation gets going this April in Brisbane, it will be plain sailing for the project thanks to the extensive support for manroland web systems’ Australian market organization provided by experts on site.

Executive Vice President Peter Kuisle leaves manroland web systems

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 09:45:26 GMT

Peter Kuisle, Member of the Executive Board, leaves manroland web systems GmbH by March 31, 2013.

Kuisle has been responsible for Sales, Service, and Marketing and has been Managing Director of Eurografica GmbH for many years. He will take a new professional challenge. “The Executive Board and the staff members would like to thank Peter Kuisle for his commitment and active support in our successful business development,“ says Managing Director Eckhard Hoerner-Marass.
In the future, Hoerner-Marass will take over the responsibility for Sales, Service, and Marketing.

The manroland web systems group has achieved a positive result in the short fiscal year 2012. The company has re-organized its web offset business and plans a significant increase in turnover and profit for the year 2013.