By Susan Klutnick

The presses of this year’s IfraExpo in Barcelona, Spain reflected today’s industry.

Attendees saw themes and displays from press and related manufacturers that were focused on the business improvement of today’s newspapers.

KBA announced its largest-ever United States order; the sale of two parallel Commander presslines to the Kansas City (Mo.) Star with 216 couples 36 towers and 40 reelstands.

Single-width press suppliers Tensor and Solna announced new sales expanding their worldwide efforts.

Low costs and cost savings as major themes at this IfraExpo were clearly reflected to anyone walking the aisles.

Sheer speed, or sheer number, of pages was not an emphasis. One of the “hits” of 2001’s IfraExpo, the triple-width press, is now characterized as a specific, customer-driven application for newspapers whose market calls for high volume of pages and quantities in a massive press run. Rather, efficient flexibility of product is a key advantage. Presses that will operate over years in what we know will be a shifting market must be capable of meeting changing market needs. Press manufacturers all addressed this need for product flexibility in Barcelona.

On the other hand, the relatively new-to-newspapers 4-by-1 press appears to be an increasingly popular approach, offered by Heidelberg, MAN Roland and now, Goss.

Many double-width newspapers, driven by economics, are reviewing cost and time advantages of this “non-collect” configuration. Page count flexibility, (no balancing required) means newspapers can take last-minute ads to increase revenue. Increased speeds maintain output requirements, while both plate and makeready — paper, ink and time — costs are reduced.

Two installations of Heidelberg’s Mainstream 80, Trafford Park Printers in the United Kingdom and Imprimeries IPS Fouilloy in France, have generated product in October and September, respectively. So far, Heidelberg said the newspapers like what they see.

Technologically, increased speeds for CromoMAN, RegioMAN and GeoMAN show MAN Roland’s own continuous improvement manufacturing process. MAN Roland’s development of Dicokit, bringing Dicoweb technology to newspaper production, is currently in initial stages and will be ready to introduce at Drupa in 2004.

The Printcom range of printing aids for the stabilization of print production is a new step for MAN Roland and the offering package in maintenance is seen as full service assistance to an effective facility.

With the Goss Uniliner “S” 4-by-1 press, Goss follows Heidelberg and MAN Roland to the one around, double-width door of cost savings. Its patented “ColorQuality” digital inking system is available on the “S” as well, bringing quality and efficiency advantages. New press offerings from Goss were emphasized at the company’s display by the first European showing of the Colorliner 80.

For the American market, Goss announced a Colorliner in a 50-inch web width version. The popular cut-down web width can now be a new purchase option. Papers in Europe and elsewhere may examine the paper savings and reader handling preferences narrower widths have brought to U.S. markets.

Changes for the future

Around the world tough economic times must focus our industry on a changing business model for the foreseeable future. Goss did not specifically focus on complete workflow solutions and process integration at IfraExpo, although its imposition-driven press has been a company hallmark.

Goss said tower additions, digital inkers, new folder or reelstand upgrades can be customized for the individual newspaper, regardless of original equipment type. Project management in the Goss’ enhancement program means single source responsibility and assistance to minimize disruption and enhance profitability.

An evolution?

Good business today means an efficient organization that utilizes all advantages in the entire production process. This is not simply efficient press operations, but press operations as a pivot point in the overall workflow, linked to image creation, platemaking, consumables inventory, mailroom, and business information/cost accounting.

WIFAG’s Evolution 471 drew many attendees for more information on what is being called the 10-cylinder press with integrated workflow. The subject of a recent article in newspaper techniques, this press has been designed to specific customer requirements of the Neue Zurcher Zeitung. It showcases control platform capabilities as well as ready-to-add digital capabilities as technology becomes practical, including production information, print quality and direct imaging of plates on press.

MAN Roland announced the formation of a six-company partnership to adapt the full production workflow of products and services to specific customer needs. Reaching out from the pressroom center, MAN Roland goes both upstream to ppi Media, basysPrint, SandyScreen and Fujifilm and to the mailroom for continuing solutions through its own Aurosys material handling systems, to offer newspapers a focused workflow project opportunity.

Last year’s IfraExpo Barcelona may not be remembered for revolution in the pressroom, although there was unmistakable technical advancement represented. Process improvement and integration, production flexibility and organizational streamlining mean cost savings and increased profits. As the most costly process phase, press suppliers bear the most responsibility to improve the bottom line.

Pressroom display offerings have evolved from merely technical to the integrated consideration of the pressroom as the heart of a business process. Whatever language newspapers print, pressroom displays at IfraExpo emphasized the vocabulary of profitable business.