Offset Printing
Al Watan, Bahrain, orders Goss Community press for high quality production
Tuesday 12. August 2008 - New press chosen for quality and reliability
Al Watan for Publishing & Distribution Co., Bahrain, has placed an order with Goss International for a new single-width Goss Community press. The press will be used to print the daily newspaper of the same name – Al-Watan (meaning The Nation) – and will be located in a new state-of-the-art press hall in East Riffa which forms part of a brand new purpose-built facility for the Middle Eastern publisher and distributor.
The decision to purchase the Goss Community press was made based on its worldwide reputation for high quality, reliability and flexibility, according to Adel Ebrahim, general manager at Al Watan. The 35,000 cph press will accommodate the growing circulation of its daily title Al-Watan and provide more flexibility for meeting the changing demands of its advertisers and readers. The installation will also enable the publisher to print other newspaper titles for both local and international markets.
“Goss International is known worldwide for the continual evolution and development of its product range,” confirms Adel Ebrahim. “We wanted a supplier that was not only able to meet our current requirements but also our potential future needs and the Goss International organization fits this bill. The new Community press will give us improved print capabilities and will enable us to get a more colorful, better printed product to the market. Plans have already been made for the future expansion of the press in order to meet increasing demands for new features and advertising in full color,” he adds. Based on an adaptable design, the press can be supplied in a number of formats with a range of optional features to suit each application.
Configured with a 578 mm cut-off, the new Goss Community press will comprise five four-high towers, with ten 1270 mm (50″) reelstands, one N40 10-web folder for half and quarter pages with upper former and a gas dryer. The new press is due to be installed by the end of 2008 and will be capable of producing up to 40 broadsheet pages.
“The market has changed in recent years with investment from publishers in a number of new titles and press equipment. In order to remain at the forefront of the industry we also have to invest to offer our customers the best choice and quality,” explains Adel Ebrahim. “Goss International has specialized experience with excellent support and customer service and will be able to help us maximize the potential of the marketplace into the future.”
Al Watan joins an extensive group of publishers and printers worldwide that has chosen the popular Goss Community press model. Paul Feeney, Goss International sales manager for the Middle East comments, “We are very pleased to have been chosen by Al Watan for this new Community project. Continuous development of the Community press design and new features make today’s model a reliable and economic choice. Known worldwide as a productive, durable, flexible and operator-friendly press, it is well suited for the production of high quality local newspapers and contract print production.”
Al Watan for Publishing & Distribution Co. was founded in December 2005 and currently employs around 200 people. Printing the daily newspaper, Al-Watan, it also distributes a number of other weekly and monthly publications throughout Bahrain.