The (Phoenix) Arizona Republic is undergoing a three-pronged upgrade project that will trim its web width to 48 inches and install thermal computer-to-plate imaging at its production sites.

“Various mechanical modifications are being made to the seven double wide presses used at the two Arizona Republic printing facilities,” said Bob Kotwasinski, The Republic’s vice president of production.

Pressline Services was tapped to convert the presses, a combination of Goss International Corp. Colorliner, Metroliner and Headliner offset machines. Four presses are at the paper’s Deer Valley Center; a companion production site in Mesa, Ariz., sports the other three.

Kotwasinski said The Republic is condensing its width to reduce newsprint expenses. The Republic is one of many papers reducing web width to 48 inches as publishers look for ways to manage commodity costs (see Newspapers & Technology, November 2005).

The conversion of all presses will be completed by early June.

Press rebuild

Meantime, The Republic will also rebuild an 18-unit, two-folder Goss Urbanite used to print USA Today. Masthead International will update the machine’s drives, electrical system and other components in a 23-week schedule that will begin next month.

Kotwasinski said scheduling time for Masthead crews to conduct their work is one of the most challenging aspects of the project since the press is needed five nights a week to print USA Today.

“All rebuilding work will be accomplished in a 60-hour weekend window,” he said. “One unit or folder will be rebuilt per week.”

In addition to USA Today, the press is used to produce other commercial products.

 “The press is being rebuilt to ensure the highest quality reproduction and continued press operating reliability,” Kotwasinski said.

New CTP on deck

Finally, The Republic is also installing new thermal computer-to-plate units from Kodak at its Deer Valley and Mesa production centers.

Three Trendsetter 200 units will be installed at Deer Valley while one Trendsetter 200 and a Trendsetter 100 unit will be placed in Mesa (see related story, page 30).

Nela was selected to provide its Vision benders and plate sorting systems at both locations. 

Kotwasinski said a team from the newspaper evaluated the various technologies, systems and vendors offering CTP. 

“The Kodak thermal was determined to offer superior quality and equipment stability, along with excellent service support,” he said.

The Kodak units will replace The Republic’s film-to-plate technology powered by a combination of Western Lithotech and Agfa machines.

Kotwasinski said the CTP systems will be fully operational by mid-April.

“CTP will be ready for an easy switch to the new web size when the presses are converted,” he said.