The printing tower is already in use in the night productions. This is a significant milestone as the ABB control systems for the tower have been completely integrated with the existing PECOM press control system without requiring any support from the press manufacturer. It therefore proves ABB’s modular retrofit concept for manroland presses.

The integration of the ABB tower controls with the PECOM system is so complete that the press operation from the PECOM control consoles can continue as normal – no changes were required at the console level, or, indeed, in any other PECOM systems.

This milestone is just the first step of a longer retrofit project at Groupe Sud Ouest. The controls on five further printing towers will now be replaced, followed by those on the three folders and six reelstands. At the same time the obsolete and proprietary Interbus Loop devices will be replaced with standard components.

The whole project will be completed in the course of 2017.

ABB is a leading automation supplier to the newspaper industry. ABB Printing (http://www.abb.com/printing) delivers solutions that provide unique and totally integrated end-to-end control, protect existing investments and provide management information essential to improving profitability.

ABB (http://www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 135,000 people.