The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel’s new 435,000-square-foot print facility is moving along well as the newspaper nears the start of postpress equipment installation.

The Journal-Sentinel went primarily with systems from GMA/Müller Martini for its packaging and distribution area, including an SLS2000 inserting system, a NewsGrip single-gripper conveying system and the FlexiRoll buffer system. The newspaper also selected Cannon Equipment for its cartloading system.

The 347-foot concrete table that will hold the new Commander press from Koenig & Bauer AG was poured. The Journal-Sentinel’s Commander has 108 printing couples configured into six 4-couple towers, six 6-couple towers and six 8-couple towers.

“[Construction has] gone per plan,” said Ken Kieck, vice president of production at the Journal-Sentinel. “We did a lot of up-front planning and we involved a lot of people in it. The installation should go fairly smooth. I think we covered most of the bases.”

The press features three folder sections, two of which will house combination KF 5 (2:5:5)/RF 160 (3:2) folders. The other folder section will consist of a double KF 5 jaw folder. Technotrans america is handling the newspaper’s dampening system.

Moving newsprint rolls to the presses is an automated guided vehicle system from Jervis B. Webb. When the newsprint rolls are delivered, a Valmet automated reel loading system will bring them up to the press.

Controlling the Commander is an ABB MPS Production control system with ABB control consoles.

The first presses will be delivered in January, with commissioning on the first press set for September 2002, and the second set for October 2002.

The roof on the new facility, which was designed by The Austin Co., is 90-percent complete, and electricity was scheduled to begin flowing into the building on Aug. 22.

“It’s going to be a very functional building,” Kieck said. “It’s not going to be a Taj Mahal or anything, but it certainly will adequately support the process equipment.”