Offset Printing
Rheinische Post in Düsseldorf orders KBA Cortina
Thursday 26. March 2009 - Waterless printing on the Rhine
The Rheinische Post publishing house in Düsseldorf is opening a new chapter in its longstanding association with KBA by opting for an eco-friendly waterless Cortina comprising four towers, five reelstands and two folders.
The highly automated, ultra-compact press will be the eighth installation of its kind in Germany and the sixteenth worldwide. Delivery is slated for January next year. The Rheinische Post is the third prominent German newspaper publisher in the Rhine region to go waterless with the Cortina, the other two being the Rheinpfalz in Ludwigshafen and M. DuMont Schauberg in Cologne.
Print still offers plenty of potential in the media landscape
Clemens Bauer, president of the Rheinische Post (RP) media group, says: “The future of printed newspapers depends on their journalistic quality and standard of presentation. Based on our own experience with e-media, and also that of other publishers, we are confident that especially regional and local titles still offer plenty of potential for growth in the media landscape of the 21st century. That is why, even in the midst of a severe recession, we are investing millions of euros in new printing technology and the associated infrastructure. We firmly believe that this will sharpen our competitiveness by materially enhancing our cost efficiency, quality and flexibility. What tipped the scales in favour of the Cortina was its outstanding quality and economy, which are unprecedented in newspaper production.”
Compelling arguments in favour of a new approach
Matthias Tietz, managing director of print enterprise Rheinisch Bergische Druckerei and vice-president of the Rheinische Post publishing house, agrees: “Our KBA Commander satellite presses have done us proud over the years in terms of print quality, waste levels and productivity, but for some time now weve been keeping a weather eye on the evolution of waterless offset and the Cortina because its basic concept supports much higher levels of automation, standardisation and production flexibility. After checking out the conventional presses on offer we opted for this new approach in anticipation of imminent changes in the newspaper market. In view of the Cortinas compact yet ergonomic design, the ecological benefits of waterless offset, KBAs clear competitive edge in automated plate changing, the suitability of blanket-to-blanket for printing different types of stock and the ability to retrofit heatset dryers, the decision was a no-brainer. The Cortina is by far the best means of addressing the increasingly sophisticated expectations of our advertisers and readers. Also, the press configuration we have chosen allows us to keep more options open than with a satellite press, so we can respond to unforeseen market trends.”
Flourishing media house in Drupa city
Based in the Drupa city of Düsseldorf, the Rheinische Post has established a reputation for professionalism in the communications business and innovation in the use of technology. Since 1946 it has evolved into a modern, globally active media enterprise. Its main title, the Rheinische Post, is the second biggest regional paid-for title in Germany. Published in 29 local editions, it has a total daily circulation of around 400,000 copies and a readership of some 1.2 million. RP is a founding member of the Advertising Cooperation North Rhine (ACN), a regional constellation of paid-fors with the highest combined circulation in Germany. It also has stakes in two newspaper publishers, Aachen and Neuss, and in diverse publishers of frees.
In association with publishing house W. Giradet it publishes 23 frees with a total weekly circulation of some 1.8 million copies. The RP media group operates in five EU states. Foreign freesheets are printed alongside two major Czech national dailies, Mlada Fronta DNES and Lidove Noviny, a Slovakian national daily, SME, and two regional Polish titles. Two million copies of freesheets are published in the Netherlands each week via the Nederlandse Weekbladen Groep.
Strong presence in e-media too
The groups interests also extend to e-media, in the form of an online presence, a local television station (Center TV) and stakes in local radio stations. Its German-based news website, RP Online, hosts an entertainment portal, Tonight, a news and views portal, Opinio, and, in association with other Rhine-based daily titles, an online ad market, kalaydo.de. There is a separate Czech website, iDNES. RPs highly successful collaborative approach extends to other media activities, with joint-venture enterprises (eg with W. Girardet and others) offering cross-media services in administration, IT and sales. Conservation is another issue where the group plays an active role, with production workflows certified in accordance with rigorous EU environmental audits.
Compact technology addresses eventualities in media market
The KBA Cortina for Rheinische Post will have a maximum web width of 1,400mm (55in), cylinder circumference of 1,020mm (40in) and a maximum rated output in straight production of 80,000 full-colour copies per hour. The four double-wide towers will be fitted with KBA PlateTronic automatic plate changers, KBA RollerTronic automatic roller locks, KBA NipTronic bearings, Plate-Ident automatic plate recognition, automatic colour-register controls, KBA CleanTronic automatic blanket washing and central ink pumping. The five KBA Pastomat CL reelstands will be embedded in a KBA Patras A automated reel logistics system.
Other features will include seven double turner bars, two folder superstructures with three formers apiece, two KBA KF5 jaw folders, two section stitchers and a quarterfold capability. Web width will be infinitely adjustable to accommodate the production of half covers and spadias. In tandem with its waterless, keyless technology the Cortina will incorporate reel aligners, cut-off register, sidelay and web centre controls and pre-former web guides to minimise waste. Provision has been made for the addition of two heatset dryers plus sundry extras such as a skip slitter and ribbon stitcher. The press will be controlled from two KBA ErgoTronic consoles linked to the existing MPS Production job-scheduling and presetting system from ABB. A Prime interface will allow the integration of a soft-proofing system at the console.