LAS VEGAS — Last month’s Nexpo/SuperConference drew more than 6,000 industry executives, an 18 percent gain over 2002’s show, according to the Newspaper Association of America. Press, computer-to-plate and prepress vendors appeared to attract the most interest among attendees, although many suppliers across myriad operations reported strong interest for their equipment. Among the highlights:

MAN Roland sets add-on tower business

MAN Roland Inc. is jumping into the tower add-on market, according to Vince Lapinski, senior vice president of web operations.

“In the '70s, '80s and early '90s, a lot of presses were installed that had only limited color capacity,” Lapinski said. “Now, they can’t compare to today’s top-line systems which let publishers put color anywhere their advertisers want it.”

A MAN Roland spokesman said the company is supporting the business by adding more staff and signing agreements with third-party integrators and suppliers.

The modular add-ons are engineered to mesh with existing MAN Roland presses as well as those manufactured by most rival press vendors, the spokesman said.

“We believe we will be viewed as an authoritative presence” in the add-on market, the spokesman added.

Meantime, MAN Roland also announced three new press configurations, including a 6-by-2 press aimed at large metropolitan dailies.

The XXL ColorMAN is capable of producing up to 90,000 copies per hour. It’s available now, the company said.

In addition to the XXL, the company also said it’s making available 3-by-2 and 3-by-1 versions of its single-wide presses. The systems are tailored to newspaper and semi-commercial printing.

Finally, MAN Roland said it expects to install or see go on-edition press systems encompassing 917 printing couples, 160 reel stands and 25 folders by summer 2004.

Heidelberg sells Mercury press

Heidelberg said it sold a Mercury press to Southwest Offset Printing in Gardena, Calif. The 96-couple press has two folders and will be installed in 2004.

Southwest will use the press, configured as 12 four-high towers with 18 pasters, to produce a regional edition of The New York Times as well as other newspaper and commercial products.

The Mercury will be Southwest Offset’s 10th web press line. Last year, the printer installed a five-unit Heidelberg M-600 commercial web press.

Meantime, Heidelberg named Jonathan Parker to oversee press and postpress sales in the Northeast region.

Finally, Heidelberg said it opened a 5,300-square-foot training facility in Dover, N.H., anchored by a four-high Mainstream double-wide press.

Morning News buys ABB controls

ABB said The Dallas Morning News ordered an RTP retrofit system for its TKS presses. ABB is installing its RTP Pro system, which includes new paster controls and electronic regulators for improved tension control.

ABB also said it’s upgrading the control mechanisms installed at Ferag conveyors and stackers at the Daily News in New York. The upgrade marks the first time ABB has switched out controls managing mailroom equipment. ABB said the upgrade will include installing programmable logic controllers to replace existing PC-based controls.

Finally, ABB unveiled a closed-loop system developed in conjunction with X-Rite Inc. that permits ABB’s press console to automatically match ink values to graybars measured by X-Rite’s scanners. The software, called Color Adjustment Interface, enables ABB’s MPS control system to communicate directly with X-Rite’s line of ATD News scanners, said Hans Hirscher, ABB’s general sales manager. The system, tested initially at Edipress, a Swiss printer based in Lausanne, is available now. “The goal is to eliminate disparate output,” Hirscher said. “The (technology) would assure consistency across multiple print sites.”

Pressline debuts new cut-off design

Pressline Services Inc. debuted Pressline Retro21, a service that enables Pressline techs to modify the cut-offs of double-wide Goss International Corp. presses while retaining existing side frames and inking systems.

According to the firm, Pressline techs can now reduce the cut-offs on those presses to 21 inches, regardless of current configurations that can span as wide as 23 9/16 inches. A newspaper reducing its cut-off from 23 9/16 inches to 21 inches could save more than 10 percent of its newsprint costs, Pressline said. The patent-pending Retro21 service was tested on shuttered presses owned by Gannett Inc. Co. in Appleton, Wis.

Pyng looks at September test-run

Pyng, the weekly magazine backed by two former Gannett Co. Inc. production executives, will print its first issue this September before going into regular production in 2004.

Pyng Ltd. co-founder James Gath said Pyng officials will review the trial issue before determining the publication’s official launch date.

Gath said Pyng is negotiating with a number of newspapers, both domestic and international, to become partners in the venture.

Participating newspaper partners are being asked to print the weekly at little or no cost to Pyng’s backers.

In return, the newspapers will be able to keep revenues they receive from selling local ads as well as collect a portion of Pyng’s $1 cover price. Gath said he’s close to striking an agreement with a New England daily he declined to identify.

5 papers to roll out digital workflow app

The Buffalo (N.Y.) News, the Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky., the Los Angeles Times, the Des Moines (Iowa) Register and the Roanoke (Va.) Times have each decided to deploy digital workflow software from ProImage America Inc.

According to Bryan Carr, the News’ production manager, the daily will use ProImage’s NewsWay software to create edition plans earmarked for the paper’s eight daily editions. The app will mesh with The News’ existing Managing Editor ALS ad layout software as well as other ad management and editorial packages. Carr said the paper would also use NewsWay to manage its forthcoming computer-to-plate design

The Courier-Journal will use NewsWay to manage output to and load balance three K&F Wildcat computer-to-plate lines and six SeeColor newsprint proofing systems, the newspaper said.

The Los Angeles Times, Register and Roanoke Times, meanwhile, are rolling out NewsWay’s ink control modules in order to automatically calculate ink coverage.

The newspapers’ adoption of ProImage’s software comes on the heels of a similar deal between ProImage and The Knoxville (Tenn.) News-Sentinel. The daily is using NewsWay to manage its entire digital production workflow and drive two Kodak Polychrome Graphics Newsetter CTP lines.

MAN Roland user group debuts

More than 40 production executives whose newspapers use presses manufactured by MAN Roland Inc. met during last month’s Nexpo to kick off the inaugural meeting of the MAN Roland Users Group.

“As the number of MAN presses continue to grow, the need for an organized users group voice is a must,” said Mel Balch, production director of the Mobile (Ala.) Register and president of the newly formed group.

Other officers are J. Austin Ryan, vice president of production at The Des Moines (Iowa) Register, vice president; and Jim Foley, production director at The Republican in Springfield, Mass., executive secretary/treasurer. Balch said the next meeting of the group is slated for April 25 and 26 in Omaha, Neb., where the World-Herald operates GeoMAN 75 presses.

For more information, visit the group’s Web site at www.manrug.org.

SaxoTech integrates iCPs with Publicus

SaxoTech said it integrated its Publicus online publishing software with PCI’s iCPS XML conversion app to provide QuarkXPress-to-XML content conversion for newspapers wishing to automate their online publishing workflow. Newspapers using a Quark-based production system will be able to use the integrated apps to publish their print content online, the companies said.

TMSI, NPS merge

Newspaper Processing Systems and Total Mailroom Support Inc. have merged their operations, with TMSI’s manufacturing shifting from Ohio to NPS’ headquarters in LaGrange, Ga. Both companies will continue to operate under their existing names, said Tim Higgins, TMSI’s director of sales and marketing, but the combination will enable TMSI’s sales reps to offer NPS’ post-production installation services in concert with TMSI’s mailroom equipment.

“This (merger) will let us actively pursue bid work from all the major manufacturers,” he said. The companies will also give customers the option to contact NPS directly to obtain project management and installation services.

Higgins said Keith Crozier and Mike McGeady, founders of NPS and TMSI, respectively, will stay with the combined companies in their current positions.

IBM links 3 Japan papers with database

IBM said it developed a database tailored specifically for newspapers. The software, engineered by IBM Japan, was developed for three Japanese newspaper publishers that wanted to share editorial content ultimately slated for Web and mobile-device distribution.

Kyoto Shimbun, Kobe Shimbun and Chugoku Shimbun are the first newspaper publishers to use the database, which is built upon IBM’s Newsroom Content Management software. The app lets users create and manage digital content, IBM said. The software supports such standards as NewsML, devised by the International Press Telecommunications Council as a means to oversee news content.

The integrated database is built in two layers: basic components common to the three participating newspaper companies and options unique to each individual company. IBM is currently working with other Japanese publishers to expand the use of the database.

Other apps used with X-DB include WebSphere Application Server and DB2 database. The software is designed to operate on Unix servers.

2 papers buy systems from SCS

Seacoast Newspapers, owned by Ottaway Newspapers, purchased Software Consulting Services’ ad production and digital ad asset management system. To run the app, the paper also purchased Sun Microsystems’ Cobalt servers capable of managing 1 terabyte of stored data.

SCS also said it sold its NPI newsprint cost accounting software to The Frederick (Md.) News-Post.

Goss ups Uniliner speeds

Goss International Inc. said its Uniliner press systems have now been rated to 75,000 copies per hour.

The Uniliner S, introduced at Nexpo/ SuperConference, is a 4-by-1 press; the Uniliner is a 4-by-2 design.

Goss also unveiled a new controls console, featuring an ergonomic design.

Meantime, Goss said that Indonesian publisher PT Gramedia ordered a Colorliner 70 four-high tower.

PPI Media, NJMG extend pact

ppi Media said that North Jersey Media Group has expanded its deployment of ppi’s workflow software. The publisher, which prints The Record, The Herald News and other titles, plans to increase its use of ppi’s PlanPag and AdPag software, which manages ad layouts and classified ads, respectively. The rollout, expected to be completed this fall, is the second major project undertaken for NJMG by ppi. Earlier, the vendor installed production workflow software and its GlobalTrack page tracking module.

Nela Ternes signs St. Petersburg

Nela Ternes Register Group said the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times agreed to install four of its inline VCP Vision punch bending systems.

The punch-benders will mesh with tool-less lock-ups for the paper’s three 21-unit Goss Metroliner presses.

Meantime, Nela Ternes rolled out a new bender, called the Benchmark Series, aimed at smaller newspapers. The bender, tailored to users of single-wide presses, offers three-point edge-registration.

Creo, Harland sign pact

Creo Inc. said it had teamed up with the PrimaSolve division of Harland Simon to develop press control interfaces that communicate with Creo’s Prinergy Newsrun software. The integration will allow the software to transmit ink key setting data from Creo’s thermal-based computer-to-plate systems directly to the press.

2 Italian dailies moving to Hermes 10

Unisys Corp. formally released News Content Manager Hermes 10, disclosing that two Italian newspapers will deploy the upgraded software. Group Poligrafici signed a four-year agreement with Unisys to install the app at three newspapers it publishes in Bologna, Florence and Milan. In addition, Il Giornale, an independent daily also based in Milan, will upgrade to Hermes 10. The new version features improved Web integration technology and meshes with Adobe InDesign 2.0 and Adobe InCopy 2.0.

Presteligence rolls out app

Presteligence rolled out its e-tearsheets software, Ad Infinitum. The hosted software enables newspapers, advertisers, agencies and other users to verify that ads have run as promised. Users access a secure Web site to gather information about the ad’s placement, billing and other related data. The software is currently being evaluated by Trinity Mirror in the United Kingdom. Presteligence is a joint venture of Graphic Enterprises Inc. and Effective Management Group.

Quad/Tech has ink control

Quad/Tech Inc. introduced its Precisa ink control and fountain system to the North American market. The system can control up to 120 fountains and uses segmented ink key technology, which QTI said maintains accuracy in light or dark coverage.

ECRM intros platesetter

ECRM Imaging Systems took the wraps off a new violet-based computer-to-plate system. The ECRM News CTP platesetter is aimed at small and medium-sized newspapers, according to Peter Wilkens, vice president of worldwide marketing. The unit can accommodate a range of web widths and cut-offs up to a maximum of a double-truck format of 25.4 inches-by-36.5 inches.

The unit has a manual plate feed and can deliver up to 60 broadsheet pages per hour at 1,270 dots per inch. An automatic plate loading version is in development and scheduled for release later this year.

US Ink sets new black ink

US Ink added two black inks to its high-performance ink products. Spectra High-Strength Black and Spectra Max Black are now available.

Seiken showcases SPS

Seiken Graphics Inc. introduced its Super Panorama System, which the firm maintains will enable newspapers to print a four-color center spread encompassing four double-trucks. The printing is enabled by a device that’s attached to the outside of a press that governs how the web travels and is folded. It can be attached to most press systems except for presses manufactured by Goss International Corp.

DTI signs Review-Journal

Digital Technology International said it will install its ClassSpeed classified advertising and accounts receivable software at the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The newspaper will also upgrade its current AdSpeed and NewsSpeed software to versions that rely on Adobe InDesign and Adobe InCopy. The Daily Breeze in Torrance, Calif., will make a similar switch, dumping its current editorial software that uses Quark Inc. apps.

Zope showcases content app

Zope Corp. rolled out its Zope4Media content management software. The app runs on the Python open source Web application server software programming language and features a transactional object database that can store not only content and custom data, but also dynamic HTML templates, scripts, a search engine and relational database (RDBMS) connections and code.

Ixiasoft, Mactive team up

Ixiasoft said it has teamed up with Mactive Inc. and would build into Mactive’s AdBase software code to allow customers to use Ixiasoft’s Textml application as part of Mactive’s new archiving and search package. The integration will let users store, index and retrieve XML content at high speeds and in large volumes. Separately, Ixiasoft said it would integrate Textml with PCI’s iCPS QuarkXPress-to-XML conversion app.