Beacon Print, a subsidiary of Beacon Media Group headquartered in Whakatāne, has signed an agreement to purchase a near new newspaper printing press from United Borneo Press Group of Malaysia.
The purchase of the Goss Community SSC Press Line includes five four-high towers and a Goss N40 folder and will replace the company’s current aging four tower press. The project is scheduled to be completed in the first half of 2020.
The company will relocate the press to New Zealand from Malaysia in March 2020, to install commissioned it at Beacon Prints Whakatāne print site in May 2020. The press print’s Beacon Media Group’s own New Zealand Community Newspaper of the Year “The Beacon” among other community newspaper titles.
John Spring, managing director of Beacon Media Group, says the investment represents a huge vote of confidence in, and commitment to, New Zealand’s community newspaper publishers. He says, “Increasing demand for consistent highest quality in printed newspapers continues to challenge all newspaper printers. At Beacon Print, we are committed to doing whatever it takes to help our community newspaper customers be even more successful. The installation of this press will be the culmination of an extensive 18-month capital programme that has seen every part of our business modernised and future proofed for safety, quality, efficiency and cost.”
The new press uses ‘footprint shaftless independent drives for each four-high tower installed. This allows greater production flexibility and significantly reduced set-up time between print runs. The press also features the latest automated press controls including built-in ink pre-setting; automated web break detection; zero speed slicers; an automated registration control system; and guarding and safety interlocks.
The addition of the fifth tower will enable printing of 40 tabloid pages in one pass. The press can run at up to 35,000 copies per hour, 37 per cent faster than the current press.
The company’s other recent upgrades include computer to plate technology from Agfa and Muller Martini supplied inserting/stitching/trimming equipment, relocated from its former Hastings Plant. Beacon will refit an ultra violet printing system to the press to maintain the capability of a gloss finish for customers.
Spring adds, “This is a huge investment for our business. It will bring significant benefits to us and our community newspaper customers, with improved print quality. It’ll be awesome to have a near new press with the latest in print technology. We can’t wait.”
