In the first major press sale of 2003, the Journal Star in Peoria, Ill., has agreed to purchase a GeoMAN 70 offset press manufactured by MAN Roland Inc. to anchor a new production facility.

The newspaper (daily, 79,954; Sunday, 90,215) in late February agreed to buy the press, said Paul Bullock, production director.

The Journal Star in Peoria, Ill., bought its GeoMAN 70 offset press in late February. Front row (l-r) Vince Lapinski, senior vice president, web operations, MAN Roland and John T. McConnell, vice president, The Copley Press Inc., president and publisher, Journal Star. Second row (l-r) Kenneth J. Mauser, vice president, Journal Star; Ron Sams, regional sales manager, MAN Roland; Paul Bullock, production manager, Journal Star.
Photo: Journal Star

The press is scheduled to be on edition in fall 2004 and will replace a 1955-vintage Goss letterpress, Bullock said.

“MAN Roland is very pleased to be working with the knowledgeable staff from the Peoria Star-Journal,” said Vince Lapinski, MAN Roland senior vice president, web operations. Lapinski said “special features” and configuration of the press and folder will give the newspaper the tools it needs to boost print quality and attract new revenues.

The double-wide press will feature six towers and eight reelstands, 42 couples and a 2:3:3 jaw folder. MAN Roland is installing the press with three towers on each side of the folder, giving the newspaper the ability to produce two different products simultaneously.

The Copley Press Inc.-owned Journal Star is building a 66,000-square-foot addition to its current press facility to house the press as well as a new post-production department, Bullock said.

The new press will let the paper more than double its current color capacity and boost print quality.

Bullock said the Journal Star evaluated press systems from all the major vendors, but selected MAN Roland because “it has proven it has been able to deliver.”

“We’re excited about it,” he said.

The newspaper began its search for a new press vendor in September, signing the contract in early February. Bullock declined to disclose how much the paper is paying for its expansion or for the new press.

The press sale is a bright spot in an otherwise parched landscape for press vendors. Following a period in which major press investments were made by newspaper publishers such as The Kansas City (Mo.) Star, Detroit Newspapers, Trinity Mirror and The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky., dailies have throttled back.