TUCSON, Ariz. - Speaking before some 200 customers from more than 100 newspapers, Goss International Corp. Chief Operating Officer Jochen Meissner kicked off the 38th Annual Metro Users Group conference by assuring registrants that the company has not diluted its commitment to coldset production and that the vendor will begin manufacturing its Flexible Press System press in the United States.

“We are a better supplier to the newspaper industry because we have integrated the Heidelberg web organization,” he said, noting that he remains surprised that some observers believe Goss has turned its attention to commercial web research and development.

“We are solely focused on web offset production, print and finishing. Our resources are not extended to sheetfed, gravure or other print processes.”



Left to right, incoming MUG president Matt Theiler, pressroom and plateroom manager, (Minneapolis) Star Tribune; retiring MUG president Larry Appleby, Deer Valley print manager, The (Phoenix) Arizona Republic; and MUG past-president Russ Christensen, print quality manager, Los Angeles Times.




Larry Urrutia, vice president, operations, Tucson Newspapers Inc. and Bob Kotwasinski, vice president, production, The (Phoenix) Arizona Republic.
Photos: Newspapers & Technology

Meissner said Goss expects to spend more than $60 million on research and development in 2006, “focused specifically on web technology.”  

In other Goss developments, Meissner said the company:

*Posted 2005 sales in excess of $1.1 billion, with a “small operating profit.”

*Exceeded sales projections for its single-width Community and Universal machines.

*Recorded the first U.S. sale of its Magnum two-around press, to Seacoast Media Group.

*Signed a major double-width press contract, selling five Newsliner 90 machines to China’s Shenzen Press Group.

*Will begin manufacturing its Flexible Press System in the United States as a result of consolidating its Preston, United Kingdom, facility. FPS was introduced in 2004.

*Beefed up its service parts organization with new employees and a streamlined phone and online ordering system.

*Recorded sales in its postpress division to newspapers ranging from The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, Calif., to the Denver Newspaper Agency.

Meissner pledged to continue to improve Goss’ service and response capabilities. “You don’t publish commodity products, and we don’t produce commodity products,” he said. “We cannot perpetuate our business if we perpetuate this type of Wal-Mart-like customer/supplier relationship.”