Fairfax NZ's newly refurbished Dominion Post print centre will be the focus of attention at this year's SWUG conference in August.

The plant in Petone, ten kilometres north-east of Wellington, went live last year with a 75,000 cph all-colour manroland Geoman web press and Ferag mailroom technology, much of it from the group's former site in Tullamarine, Melbourne.

The press - updated with a second folder and new control technology - and relocated and new Ferag mailroom equipment is the production centre for the daily Dominion Post, Manawatu Standard, Sunday Star Times and The Wellingtonian.

SWUG New Zealand president Dan Blackbourn, who is group director of property, print and production at NZME, has announced the conference from August 3-4.

"You can all start making plans, and as always, feedback on presentations will be welcome," he says.

Facilities at the host plant include a QI Press Controls automated quality control system, plus inline trimming, folding and polybagging under Ferag's Navigator control. The $21 million investment included a newly-modified press hall with a higher roof and earthquake bracing.

The upgrade made it possible to close Fairfax's New Plymouth print site, 350 km to the north, at which some of papers had been printed for more than 150 years. Fairfax also has printing centres in Nelson and Christchurch, together printing a total of 90 titles.

Pictured: Part of the updated mailroom