Nela completed the first phase of one of its largest U.S. newspaper plate automation projects with the installation of two Vision punch benders and associated equipment at Denver Newspaper Agency’s production plant.

Nela will ultimately install five systems, capable of processing four different plate sizes ranging from 48 inches to 54 inches that will be used to produce The Denver Post, (Denver) Rocky Mountain News and other publications. DNA will also use Nela’s NPS plate management software to sort plates by press, product, edition and press tower. Nela is installing five plate lifts to automatically deliver plates to the upper press deck, the company said. The project will be completed in April.

 

DNA is spending more than $100 million to upgrade its production plant, anchored by five GeoMAN presses from MAN Roland Inc. Nela said its plate management software will integrate with DNA’s printnet workflow and closed-loop software to track plates throughout the production process.

Meantime, Nela said it opened a series of field offices in the United States to bolster its suburban Minneapolis corporate office. The new offices are in Salt Lake City, Atlanta, Madison, Wis., and Springfield, Mo.