The Buffalo (N.Y.) News tapped Bob Ray & Associates to oversee the installation of its two new KBA Colora presslines. Preliminary work began in May and is scheduled to be completed in late 2003. Bob Ray will manage the mechanical, rigging and alignment of the presses.

The News’ deal with Bob Ray comes on the heels of similar contracts with other newspapers, including:

• The Observer & Eccentric in Livonia, Mich., using Bob Ray to upgrade its Goss Metro press from Goss International Corp. Press expansion will enable the newspaper to boost color capacity and page count. The project will be finished in September.

• The North County Times in Escondido, Calif., is using the firm to modify its pressroom and install additional remanufactured components to its Goss Headliner offset press. The upgrade will include new Harland Simon controls, unit reconfiguration and an added stacked unit. The project will be completed in November.

Meantime, Bob Ray said USA Today commissioned a Goss Urbanite press it refurbished for Gannett’s Atlanta printing plant. Bob Ray removed an 18-unit, two-folder Goss Urbanite from a Gannett printing facility in Nashville, Tenn., renovated the press and reinstalled it in Atlanta.

Finally, the vendor said its press reconfiguration project is continuing at The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, Calif. A third-level former, angle bars and a new EAE control system have been installed; two KBA Colora towers were added to the newspaper’s existing Goss press in May.