- Mechanical and electrical retrofit in three stages
- OÖN print centre gets ready for the future
- Continued success with 175 million newspapers printed every year
A Commander press purchased from Koenig & Bauer has been the centrepiece of the print centre operated by Oberösterreichische Nachrichten in Pasching since 2003. Over the next few months, Koenig & Bauer will be performing a comprehensive retrofit to prepare the press for future challenges. The reelstands, printing towers, folders, press control system and operating consoles of the Commander will be brought into line with the latest state-of-the-art technology – both mechanically and in regard to their electronics.
The control system and consoles will be converted to the latest EAE technology. Colour density and colour and cut-off register control systems from QIPC will be added. The inking units, reelstands and folders will undergo a mechanical overhaul. In addition, the spray bars will be renewed and all main drives will be overhauled.
Koenig & Bauer will be acting as general contractor for the project. “Parts of the installation will be 20 years old by next year and are still doing their job reliably every day. We want to ensure that we are properly prepared for the future – because we continue to believe in the printed newspaper. This retrofit will position us ideally to handle everything that lies ahead,” says Ronald Sonnleitner, managing director of the print centre. The control system retrofit will be performed in three stages, so as not to interrupt daily production. The project is scheduled for completion in winter 2022.
Thomas Potzkai, head of service at Koenig & Bauer Digital & Webfed: “We have already been working hand in hand for more than 20 years. The pandemic meant that we had to agree to virtually the entire timeline for this complex project in online meetings, but everything proceeded smoothly – which goes to show how ongoing cooperation based on many years of trust pays off.”
175 million newspapers printed every year
The print centre of Oberösterreichische Nachrichten in Pasching is one of the most modern in Austria. A total of 300,000 plates, 180,000 kilograms of ink and almost 12,000 tonnes of paper are used every year. Thanks to solar panels covering a total area of 1,200 square metres, the company generates its own green electricity to cater to around 20 per cent of requirements. The company’s flagship newspaper is the OÖ Nachrichten. Alongside a variety of monthly and weekly titles, association journals, advertising frees, newspaper supplements and flyers are also printed