The Register-Guard of Eugene, Ore., tapped Harland Simon to replace controls on three aging inserters, becoming the first U.S. newspaper to use the vendor’s new postpress software.

The newspaper will replace Goss International Corp. Icon controls on three AM Graphics inserters with Harland Simon’s InsertNet controls this summer, said Rick Baker, The Register-Guard’s chief information officer.

InsertNet, based on industry-standard PC and PLC hardware, will eliminate the need for the paper to hunt for hard-to-replace components, Baker said.

“We can’t get parts anymore for the inserter controls,” he said of the 1994-vintage equipment. “The equipment is still good, but we can’t get parts.”

Gateway conduit

Harland Simon is also replacing the inserters’ AMCS operating software with Prima Mailroom Manager. The app will let operators oversee job orders and monitor performance of the inserters.

The Harland Simon software will also act as a gateway between the inserters and The Register-Guard’s advertising and circulation software.

Finally, Harland Simon will replace the paper’s stacker node station with the new software, giving The Register-Guard centralized job data control of its Quipp Systems Inc. Model 300 stackers.

Harland Simon previously had upgraded the press controls governing The Register-Guard’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries press, a factor that contributed to the daily again selecting the vendor for its postpress software, Baker said.

“We were very pleased with the upgrade and this will give us a common software platform for both press and postpress control,” Baker said.

John Staiano, Harland Simon’s senior vice president, said The Register-Guard’s decision to upgrade its inserters rather than buy new reflects an industry-wide trend.

“Over the next few years more and more newspapers will be upgrading their mailroom controls and adding state-of-the-art upper level management systems.”

The company launched its postpress unit in 2006.