Fairfax Media Printing and Logistics has made its newspaper production future proof together with manroland web systems: The two companies have been proud partners at a groundbreaking restructuring project that is finished know. During the last year, the newspaper production of the printing house in Australia has been adapted to the changed market situation. This year the presslines in New Zealand have followed. A newly configured GEOMAN has started its production in Wellington at the end of April.

Since April 2015, the daily newspaper „The Dominion Post“ at Fairfax New Zealand has been printed on a GEOMAN press from manroland web systems. Ricky Baker, Plant Manager at “The Dominion Post” and Graham Wallace, Project Manager at Fairfax Media, agree: manroland web systems made a “fantastic job” together with the team on site. Fairfax Media especially emphasized the cooperation and the personal commitment of the manroland web systems` field workers. What was obvious for all the involved people was: a smooth and optimal handling of such a comprehensive and complex project can only be achieved by manroland web systems as a process owner.

manroland web systems has already received the order for the comprehensive restructuring at Fairfax in Australia and New Zealand in February 2013. Main target was to equip the company for the future. During the last two years, the newspaper presses of the printing house therefore have been adapted to the changed market conditions. The GEOMAN press in Wellington has been part of this extensive restructuring project. In this case, components from Melbourne (AUS) have been moved to the Fairfax facility in New Zealand, the GEOMAN press has been re-configured and mechanically checked up, outworn electronics have been removed and an additional format variability has been implemented.

The project was a groundbreaking continuation of a long-term partnership of Fairfax Media and manroland web systems that has already started in the early 90ies and is constantly reconfirmed. Above all, decisive criteria for the refreshed cooperation were a deep trust and the reliability of the high performing business partner.

There are many reasons for the decision of Fairfax Media to choose the complete solution from manroland web systems: The retrofits of the presses and the simultaneous integration of technical solutions especially arise from the long-term partnership and the state-of-the-art technologies from manroland web systems. Fairfax Media can rely on manroland web systems, as a straight through processing without difficulties at the given time frame is guaranteed. And there was another basic point that was of special importance for the company in the New Zealand area endangered by earthquakes: The entire press could be perfectly integrated in the earthquake-resistant architecture of the building. Another factor that guarantees future and a smooth production.

Each pressupdate from manroland web systems follows a deep analysis to find the ideal solution that reaches all requirements. manroland web systems has the know-how that is needed, as well as the abilities to deeply analyze complex upgrades and retrofits with the aquired technical expertise to provide and successfully implement the best possible solution. Graham Wallace is convinced: „manroland web systems constantly works on the service offerings and the product upgrades. We decided to invest in these basic modifications to reach the latest requirements for newspaper production – this definitely has been achieved. Due to the restructuring and the upgrading of our presses, we could strengthen the leading market position of our newspapers and furthermore add the latest trends of the industry. manroland web systems has been a reliable partner during the entire the project phase. We are very pleased about the accurate and fast handling and the new possibilities that are given due to the new production.”

Timothy Ruth, Vice President Sales at manroland web systems adds: “It was a great challenge to support one of our most important customers at reducing the costs for newspaper production while at the same time increasing the quality and performance of the equipment. We are happy about the fact that we could not only deliver high-class printing technology but also proof our abilities in project management by mastering the logistically and organizational challenges of this extremely complex project.”