Finishing & Screen Printing
Features that Distinguish the ProLiner: Reliable Insertion Process, Great Size Variability
Monday 03. November 2008 - Märkische Verlags- und Druck-Gesellschaft mbH Potsdam
For its complex insert fine zoning, down to the regional level, the Märkische Verlags- und Druck-Gesellschaft mbH Potsdam uses two new ProLiner inserting systems from Muller Martini.
As the largest regional newspaper in the state of Brandenburg, the “Märkische Allgemeine” can be especially proud of this record: No other German regional newspaper covers such a large area. However, at the same time this is also – in addition to the difficult demographic situation resulting from the migration of many young people to the West – one of the biggest challenges this tradition-rich newspaper is facing.
This is due to the high costs that the distribution of the newspaper, formed out of the former GDR newspaper “Märkische Volksstimme” and now 100 percent subsidiary of the FAZ, generate. One result of this is that cost-consciousness is at a correspondingly high level at the Märkischen Verlags- und Druck-Gesellschaft mbH Potsdam (MVD), where the Märkische Allgemeine is being printed.
Changeover Completed within a very Short Amount of Time
Optimal utilisation of economical resources is also the motto for the mailroom where the newspaper printing plant chose two modular ProLiner inserting systems from Muller Martini to replace four older Biliners. One has been running since last June, the other will be commissioned into operation in October.
In addition to the reliable insertion process (dependable opening and holding of the main and pre-printed products in the inserting pockets), the Technical Manager, Bengt Föbker, was particularly impressed with the size flexibility of the ProLiner: “We can complete the changeover of the size within a very short amount of time.”
One needs to understand that the 167,000 printed copies of the Märkische Allgemeine, with its 15 regional editions and split run editions between 3,000 and
32,000 copies, appears in Rhenish size – just as the advertising paper “Wochenspiegel” (nine editions with a total run of 340,000 copies) does. It is printed during the day in order to make optimal use of the printing press and mailroom.
In addition, MVD daily prints 80,000 copies of the “Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung” in Nordic size. Both the Märkische Allgemeine and the FAZ are produced on the new ProLiners. In addition to the ProLiner, for the FAZ also a NewsLiner is being used.
Complex Insert Zoning
“Particularly the production of the “Wochenspiegel””, says the Manager of finishing, Ronald Keppler, “is extremely complex.” “Not just because of the nine regional editions, but also because of the fine zoning of the inserts down to the county level.”
Additionally, the daily newspapers always include pre-printed products – a total of 58 million last year for the “Märkische Allgemeine” (in addition to 47 million advertising supplements), and a total of 37 million for the “FAZ” (in addition to 12 million advertising supplements). Only the “Wochenspiegel” is published without regular pre-printed products. Instead, it contained over 66 million inserts in 2007. Almost the same number could only be delivered by hand until now, but from now on it will be inserted with the ProLiner.
The MPC is an Additional Advantage
According to Bengt Föbker, in addition to their 220 million pre-printed products and inserts annually, the two new ProLiners have another big advantage: “The control system Mailroom Production Control isnt only easy to operate, it also makes it possible to track each individual package right to the ramp.”