Dieter Betzmeier, member of the board at manroland web systems, is pleased about this year’s World Publishing Expo (WPE) (manroland web systems, booth 4.530, October 5-7). What he is expecting are professional and exciting discussions in Hamburg: „Many of our customers already went into action and started the future of newspaper printing together with our company. In most cases, the challenges for newspaper printers are similar: How do I optimize the production technology for small runs and regionalization? Under what preconditions can traditional newspaper printing be handled economically?” Anyhow, the solutions for the printers are not always the same: there are investments in new offset and digital presses as well as many retrofits of existing presslines. This is what Dieter Betzmeier wants to talk about at the WPE: “We gained important experiences and got to know different business models at every project. These insights we would like to share. Therefore a communicative exhibition like the WPE is the perfect platform.”  manroland web systems especially prepared some highly demanded key topics: these contain the new ink density control IDCµ for newspaper printing, upgrades and retrofits and the entry to digital newspaper production and resulting continuative business models.

Digitally Booked to Capacity
The daily “Walliser Bote“ of the Swiss printer Mengis Druck AG in Visp is a revolutionary best-practice example for digital newspaper printing. Integrated to a digital inline production workflow, the folding system FoldLine takes over the inline finishing. The inline folder is essential for the integrated production. Many printing experts that have visited the printing house in Visp are convinced and left with totally new perceptions about digital business models.  Today, Mengis produces the newspaper in the evening and different commercial products, such as books, magazines and maps, in the daytime. An important component of the workflow is the MasterQ software. It plans the efficient production order of all incoming jobs, as the workflow integration is also one of the core competencies of manroland web systems: Besides MasterQ, also WorkflowBridge (for industrial finishing) and DigiLink (connects digital and offset production planning) have established on the market.

InlineDensity Control with micro marks (IDCµ) is the name of the first ink density control for newspaper printing from manroland web systems. It successfully went into production at the printing company in Bamberg. No matter if it is integrated to the new operation concept or a retrofit, it always offers great benefits. This is efficient for all newspaper presses from manroland web systems but also for other fabricates.

Upgrades and retrofits have been in the focus of new investments of newspaper customers during the last year. The “puzzle strategy“, a solution from Augsburg that allows successive retrofits of single components, is especially famous in the USA. At every time, the customers benefit from the service and technology know-how of manroland web systems. All around the world, the project teams from manroland web systems help to make press rooms more efficient and future oriented due to retrofits and upgrades. The numerous press removals, operation retrofits and press re-configurations from Australia to India create a great story that can be told. More than ever when you are the project manager – as manroland web systems usually is.

(http://www.manroland-web.com)