FREDERICK, Md. — The Frederick News-Post on April 1 opened its $44 million, 120,000-square-foot production facility, capping off a three-year project that is transforming the 125-year-old family owned paper.

Myron Randall, editor and publisher of The News-Post, said the greenfield facility will fuel new capacity and flexibility in the paper’s operation. The plant, designed by Dario Designs Inc., reflects the historical legacy of Frederick, which served as a major crossroads during the Civil War.

“We have incorporated a historical feel and our presses are painted blue and gray,” he said.

Photos: Newspapers & Technology
The TKS ColorTop 4000 press was equipped with an elevator to transport heavy loads up on the second level; the press’ design affords the paper great flexibility in web management.

A ColorTop 4000 3-by-2 press from TKS (USA), which is configured as two lines, anchors the plant. It sports six four-over-four towers, nine Megtec heavy-duty reels and a 2:3:3 jaw folder positioned at a right angle.

It’s the first North American 3-by-2 press to be installed by TKS, which introduced the format in 2004. The singlewide machine has a capacity of 70,000 copies per hour and features a 21-inch cutoff.

“We are very excited about this startup,” said Nobuyuki Nakajima, president and chief executive officer of TKS. “The singlewide market is very important to TKS and we look forward to having a showplace like Frederick. The News-Post made a very big commitment to the community and we are honored to be part of that.”



A News-Post sign from the 1950s was reattached to the
paper’s new facility in a symbolic linking between old and new.
 

On the prepress side, The News-Post installed two alfaQuest computer-to-plate machines, with Fusion Systems International page flow and imposition software.

“We now have the capability of running either two or three tab pages side-by-side,” said Bob Clay, director of operations.

Commercial key

In order to attract commercial work — a key component of the new infrastructure — The News-Post equipped pressline A with an online stitcher, Gammerler trimmer and stacker, Clay said. The press also has a technotrans spraybar system and a blanket washing system from Baldwin Technology Co. Inc.

Bob Clay

“We can run various sizes of commercial product,” he said.

William Randall, who oversees FMP Printing and Publishing, the family’s commercial publishing arm, said the new facility will improve communication and boost productivity. “Everyone benefits and works together now with a better understanding of the full operation.”

The B-side of the press, meantime, is dedicated to The News-Post and sports three high formers that can run variable sizes in either collect or straight  mode, Clay said. “We can run 54 pages broadsheet full color or 108 tab pages, in straight mode, in full color.”

Britton Services Inc. provided the mechanical, electrical and pipefitting work needed to install the press.

The News-Post tapped ASTI to install a manual roll system that’s designed into the surface of the floor.

To accommodate future growth DDI engineered the press hall with a concrete table that extends just beyond the current press. TKS set the reels on the same floor as the folders, which allowed The News-Post to limit the height of the building.

Postpress was bolstered with the addition of a Muller Martini Mailroom Systems Inc. SLS-3000 inserter, equipped with SAM inserter software. The paper also purchased an Accraply Inc. inkjet system to permit it to print information directly off the inserter. Cannon Equipment provided cart-loading equipment.

The new mailroom is enabling The News-Post to strike distribution agreements with other publishers, including The Wall Street Journal, Washington Times and Herald-Mail in Hagerstown, Md., said Philip Ferrara, circulation director.

Next up for The News-Post: a redesign of the paper, expected in May.
 

TKS lands first Berliner orders in Korea; Columbus Dispatch buys six pick-up stations TKS made its first Berliner press sales as Korean newspaper publisher JoongAng Ilbo tapped the vendor for presses earmarked for three sites. The publisher purchased a total of six CT7100 UDH Berliner presses, two for its Ansan production site; two for its Busan site and two in Kangnam. The Ansan presses, each configured as six four-over-four towers with a double-delivery 2:5:5 folder, are now being commissioned, TKS said. The second pair of CT7100 Berliner machines, each configured as four four-over-four towers and two four-over-one towers with a double-delivery 2:5:5 folder, will be installed in Busan and be in production in 2009. The last sale, in Kangnam, is a 12-tower CT7100, with eight of the towers four-over-four and the remainder four-over-one. It will be configured as two presses, in one pressline, each with two single-delivery 2:5:5 jaw folders. Meantime, TKS said it’s upgrading a press at the Daily News in Bangkok, Thailand, that will enable the newspaper to almost double its color capacity. The project, which will permit the Daily News to print up to 40 pages of color in a 48-page production run, also includes an upgrade of the press’ folder, from 2:1 to 2:3:3, TKS said. Finally, TKS’ sister company, Kaneda Kikai Seisakusho, is in the midst of installing six pickup stations at The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch to ferry newspapers from the pressroom to the mailroom. The Dispatch is the first U.S. newspaper to buy a KKS Baton Touch Carrier gripper. The KKS system replaces all of The Dispatch’s legacy press conveyors and joins a KKS automatic stripping station at the paper.