What was your first job in the newspaper business?

My first job in the industry was in Nashville, Tenn., as a press installation machinist installing two Colorliners for Goss Graphic Systems. After that project I traveled the country installing new presses in 16 different cities and performing field service work until 2000, when I joined The Ledger.

What do you like most about your job?

As operations manager I am responsible for the entire operations department. This brings new challenges every day.

I am fortunate to have such a talented production staff here in Lakeland that can answer the call of any problem. We in the production end of this business are very lucky to be part of an industry that openly shares technical information across business units and competing markets. As a New York Times national print site we hold periodic conference calls with the other 20 print sites to discuss production issues. Many of these other production departments encounter similar problems and it only makes sense to reach out to others to create best practices to handle these situations.

What do you like least?

Over the last few years we have seen training budgets disappear. Our production process has become more technical, our equipment has had to be more flexible to handle a variety of new products and production schedules have been filled leaving very little time for maintenance. Continual training is needed to keep our existing staff current with new technologies. Without the resource of training it is hard to recruit and retain new talent in our industry.

What was The Ledger’s most recent purchase/installation?

Over the last three years we have been upgrading our pressroom with Goss International Corp. (equipment). We upgraded with new press controls, a new digital inking system, added three additional couples and installed a Colorliner 4-over-4 tower. This year Goss is reducing our web width to 48 inches from 54 inches. Goss was picked for these projects based on a proven track record of success here in Lakeland.

In our plateroom, we are moving into the third and final stage of our CTP project, with the installation of a third Agfa Advantage line finished with a third Nela vision plate bender and Nela plate-sorting equipment. This project will allow us to eliminate the film process completely.

Our postpress department recently installed two Accraply labeling machines capable of labeling at 60,000 [pieces] an hour on our presslines. Four additional labeling stations were installed on our inserters to handle our zoning needs. This equipment automates this process, which until now was done in the field by the carriers.

What is the biggest challenge The Ledger is facing in production?

Keeping up with the needs of our internal and external customers. Additional production runs for specialty products and a growing commercial printing business leave little time for preventive maintenance.

With our doublewide newspaper presses we are continually challenged to deliver the highest quality product at the fastest speeds possible. This requires good communication and proper training in all departments to achieve these goals. In addition to a great internal staff, The Ledger is fortunate to have good working relationships with all of our vendors, such as Goss International, Central Ink, C&W, Abitibi and Bottcher America, which all help us diagnose printing issues and improve our productivity.

What trend are you keeping your eye on?

The Ledger continues to look for ways to improve production, lower expenses and open new sources of revenue without sacrificing quality. The reduction of 4-color black ink to reduce ink costs, the availability of less-expensive and more-efficient chemistries, lighter weight paper and online inkjet printing are all are items we continue to evaluate to see how they would best fit into our operation.


If you know anyone you think should be featured in Short Run, please contact Tara McMeekin at 303.575.9595 or by e-mail at: tmcmeekin@newsandtech.com