Goss Holdings Inc., Goss’ parent company, reported a slight increase in net sales for the second quarter, recording $163 million in sales compared to $160.6 million in 1999.

Overall net sales continue to lag behind figures from a year ago, when the press company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Goss recorded net sales of $272.3 million for the first six months in 2000, down $37.6 million from 1999.

The press company saw increases in gross profit of $1.9 million for the second quarter, representing 18.7 percent of sales, and $30.5 million for the first six month of 2000, representing 16.8 percent of sales.

Order flow also increased, with new order intake increasing to $147.5 million from $75.7 million in second quarter of 1999. Orders for the first six months of 2000 were $342.4 million, according to Goss, double the amount it received in the first half of 1999.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization were in the black this year for Goss. They reported an EBITDA of $14.3 million for the second quarter, an increase of $37.2 million from 1999, and $15.5 million for the first six months, an increase of $36.7 million from 1999.

Goss attributed the increase in margins to “cost-reduction initiatives.” The company closed its single-width press facility in Reading, Pa., at the end of 1999, consolidating it with Goss’ Cedar Rapids, Iowa, facility. It moved the manufacture of its Universal press from Reading to Nates, France. Some of the 145 jobs at Reading were transferred to Cedar Rapids, but most were eliminated.

U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware closed Goss’ Chapter 11 case on July 25, almost a year after the company filed.

Goss announces press sales

Advance Publications purchased Goss Magnum presses in August for three of its newspapers.

The Ann Arbor (Mich.) News is getting a 42-unit Goss Magnum press, which the paper will use to print its newspaper and a regional edition of The New York Times. The Magnum, which runs at 40,000 copies per hour, will be configured into eight 4-over-4 color towers, four 2-high towers and two mono units, along with two Universal 1:3:3 jaw folders.

The Muskegon (Mich.) Chronicle purchased a 25-unit Magnum, going with a configuration of 5 towers, two 2-high towers and one mono. That press will have one Universal 1:3:3 jaw folder.

A 23-unit Magnum is headed to The Bay City (Mich.) Times, who chose the press to expand color capability and production flexibility. The Times’ production facility will have five towers, one 2-high tower and one mono unit moving papers into a Universal 1:3:3 jaw folder.

Also purchasing a Goss Magnum to print a regional edition of The News York Times was the Gaston Gazette in Gastonia, N.C., which is owned by Freedom Communications Inc.