Newspapers and Technology March 2000
Phoenix Newspapers is installing a Goss Universal 45 press
to regionally
produce The New York Times after Phoenix's web-width reduction.
Year 2000 continues
to be positive for Goss
By Kevin Juhasz
Editor
Goss announced in late January that Phoenix Newspapers Inc. purchased a 22-unit Goss Universal 45 press to regionally produce The New York Times.
Phoenix, a division of Central Newspapers, publishes The Arizona Republic, which has a daily circulation of more than 475,000. It will install the new press at its Deer Valley production facility.
"One of the criteria that we had was to maintain the high level of quality that we're currently producing on the New York Times product with our (Goss) Colorliners. That was one key reason," said Bob Kotwasinski, vice president of production for Phoenix. "We liked the ink train system and the dampening system that was offered on the Goss Universal."
Kotwasinski said the newspaper felt comfortable with the Goss product based on what they had heard from other users of the press.
"We certainly had confidence with Goss and the ability to deliver this product on time," he added.
Goss' past financial problems were something the newspaper considered, but it felt comfortable choosing the Universal based on Goss' current management and the answers Goss gave Phoenix Newspapers regarding those issues.
Delivery time was also very crucial in the decision, Kotwasinski said.
Phoenix Newspapers is reducing the web width on their double-width press. The New York Times however is not looking at switching to a smaller web, which means that Phoenix Newspapers will need the new press up and running when it converts.
Kotwasinski added that other vendors would have been able to meet the deadline, but the company felt strongest about Goss.
The Universal is a one-plate-around, four-page system that can print at least 45,000 copies per hour. Phoenix Newspapers' press will produce up to 36 broadsheet pages per issue, 16 of those will be process color. It will operate with two 2:2:1 jaw folders and 10 zero-peed splicers.
Vendors get first payment early
A little over six months after filing bankruptcy, Goss Graphic Systems began making its first payments to vendors.
During the months of December and January, Goss had about $230 million in sales.
"Clearly our customers are regaining confidence in Goss and are expressing their choice for our high-quality products," said James Sheehan, chairman, president and chief executive officer, in a release. "Since the completion of our financial restructuring in late November, we have seen strong order activity on all three continents."
The completion of that restructuring and Goss' emergence from Chapter 11 on Nov. 19 set the first $20 million payment due in mid-February. Goss made that payment in late January.
Other sales
In early February, The Herald-Sun in Durham, N.C., purchased a Goss MetroColor tower addition along with the new MPCS III press control upgrade.
The newspaper purchased the new tower to improve quality and productivity on its Goss Headliner Offset press.
The press addition will be a four-high tower that can print 16 pages straight of four-over-four color and a CT45 paster. It will also have eight printing couples, direct-to-plate spray bar dampening and digital inking.
The MPCS III, a PC-based system, includes unit controls on the MetroColor tower, two replacement consoles and a replacement imposition workstation, according to the press manufacturer. Installation is expected to be complete this summer.
Also in February, the St. Joseph (Mo.) News-Press was the first newspaper to combine Goss Magnum press units with a Goss Universal folder.
Installed at the newspaper's new facility in Mitchell Woods industrial park, the single-width press was a break from the past for the newspaper, according to News-Press General Manager Lee Sawyer.
The paper decided to opt for the press based on its confidence on the performance of the Magnum and Universal folder, he added.
In addition to printing its own newspaper, the News-Press also prints the Atchison (Kan.) Daily Globe.
Goss Graphic Systems Inc.
630.850.5600
www.gossgraphic.com