Star Media Group, based in Petaling Jaya (Malaysia), will replace its 15-year-old mailroom technology with four inserting and production lines from Ferag beginning in the spring of 2016. For its printing centre in Shah Alam near Kuala Lumpur, Star Media Group has ordered two MultiSert inserting systems, one EasySert inserting line, MultiStack compensating stackers and a bundle evacuation system. Ferag will also deliver an EasySert inserting line with MultiStack compensating stackers plus a bundle evacuation system to the Penang printing centre, some 300 kilometres north of Kuala Lumpur.

Ferag systems free up space
The decision in favour of Ferag is a testament to the customer’s confidence both in the Swiss company and the quality of its technology. Working with Star Media Group’s project team, Ferag came up with a convincing concept that provides important development opportunities for the future, says Mohamed Hassan bin Mohamed Ali, Senior General Manager, Technical Services at Star Media Group. The space-saving design of the equipment was another key factor in the decision, according to Mohamed Hassan. The change will free up space in both printing centres, which Star Media Group may use for technical upgrades relating to new business models.

Ferag will connect the inserting and production lines to existing components in the Shah Alam and Penang mailrooms. The customer rates the option to integrate the new technology into an 15-year-old, system as evidence of Ferag’s solution-oriented approach. By selecting the inserting technology, compensating stackers and bundle evacuation technology, Star Media Group is initially replacing the key components that are crucial when it comes to meeting future demands on production capacity.

Star Media Group publishes the English-language daily newspaper The Star and Sunday Star. The production of the newspaper product is split between Shah Alam (250,000 copies) and Penang (70,000 copies).

Ferag sponsors NiE programme
The goal of Star Media Group’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) programme is to inspire young people to read newspapers. Star-NiE is directed at schools in Malaysia and not only promotes the reading of newspapers, but also helps children and young people learn English.

Ferag AG’s support for the Star-NiE programme is of course also in its own interest. When signing the contract for the new Ferag inserting and production lines in Petaling Jaya, CEO and General Managing Director of Star Media Group Wong Chun Wai accepted a cheque for 250,000 ringgit (around EUR 55,500) from Jürg Möckli, CEO of Ferag AG.