Supplier Q&A: Goss International

newspaper techniques: If a newspaper is looking to purchase a press based on their print quality alone (i.e. money is no issue), which press type or types would you steer them towards, and why?

John Richard: Any Goss press can deliver premium print quality exceeding the Ifra acceptance standards. The real issue for newspapers choosing a press today is what they need to achieve in addition to high print quality.

More advanced presses like our Flexible Printing System, Colorliner, Mainstream or Newsliner have features that make it possible to get to premium quality faster, with less waste, less operator intervention and more predictability. They can also sustain that quality at higher output levels and across a wider spectrum of lithographic challenges. Those can be vital requirements, particularly for a daily paper with a narrow production window or a site producing multiple titles within a tight schedule.

Peripheral factors ranging from prepress processes and consumables to auxiliary systems and operator skill can also have as much impact on print quality as the press model itself.

nt: If cost is the primary issue, how does this change the answer to the above question, breaking this down into capital and operational cost?

Richard: There is a straightforward relationship between the initial cost, operating costs and performance of any press. A lower-cost press is the best decision for some applications, but papers basing a press decision primarily on initial cost will not get features and systems that can reduce waste, labor and other operating costs. They will have to spend more time and incur more costs if they expect to match the performance of a full-featured press. There may also be a lost-opportunity cost to consider, as they will give up the versatility to complete a wider range of products, initially and in the future.

nt: What are the two top customer requirements that you encounter on a regular basis? For example, faster presses, higher quality printing, lower operational costs, etc. – what are people asking for?

Richard: Newspapers are increasingly looking at the total business picture when they make an investment decision. They want exactly the right combination of integrated technologies in relation to their unique production requirements and they want the right level of performance and value in relation to cost.

Execution is also essential. Newspapers need innovation in order to keep their product competitive with other media, but they also need suppliers like Goss to be able to make that innovation perform day in and day out in the pressroom.

nt: What are the top three key technologies you employ on your presses that differentiate your company and its presses from your competitors?

Richard: Major technology differentiators that clearly distinguish Goss include digital inking, including our award-winning DigiRail system, gapless blankets and the innovative three-section modular design of the Flexible Printing System.

We also believe that innovation extends beyond technology itself to include ideas about configuring the technology and executing. Goss is the only truly global newspaper supplier, and we have the widest range of press and postpress options in the industry. Our ability to offer more comprehensive, customized solutions based on those options is also a differentiating factor.

nt: What are the three major technology trends that you are monitoring and consider incorporating into future press designs?

Richard: The technology for direct-to-cylinder imaging exists, but we are interested in opportunities to make it practical and financially viable for some newspaper applications. We also believe newspaper and commercial web printing requirements are converging and we will expand on our proven ability to deliver heatset/coldest hybrid presses to give our customers more product versatility. Finally, our overall focus is on a fully automated and integrated, lights-out operating scenario. When we get there is not as important as how each step along the way can improve productivity, increase quality and reduce costs.

Page first published: 26.01.2006