The world’s second Goss Magnum Compact press is going to Express Newspapers in Sri Lanka.
The daily newspaper will take a three-tower, one folder version of the highly-automated single-width press, with a 546mm cut-off and right-angle pasters.
Regional sales vice president Peter Kirwan (left) gave details of the sale to delegates at the ASEAN Newspaper Printers conference in Manila, the Philippines.
The press – which can change an edition including ink presets and a set of 24 colour plates in just over two minutes – will be used to print consecutive editions of the newspaper in multiple languages, as well as other work.
Kirwan says the press is currently under construction at the Goss factory in Shanghai.
Goss announced the sale of the first Magnum Compact – to Advance Publications in Staten Island, New York – in February, following private showings of the much-anticipated design. A six-tower version, it has been fitted into an existing two-level pressroom with its towers in the former reelstand level and the folder on the floor above.
Goss will focus attention on the “unique capabilities” of the Magnum Compact at its stand at WAN-Ifra’s World Publishing Expo in Amsterdam next month. Goss International marketing services director Eric Bell says the press’s level of automation is unique for its class: “Today’s growth areas are dominated by smaller printers and publishers who are adept at seizing opportunities to expand their portfolio,” he says.
“Goss recognised the potential for these customers of establishing a new minimum for press downtime and makeready waste. Our response has been to extend many of the efficiency and print quality features of its higher-end presses to provide unprecedented press utilisation for smaller printers.”
The press supports multi-product business models from traditional production volumes to ultra-short run lengths as low as 500 copies.
Goss says it will also underline projects across Asia and Africa that confirm the popularity of standard Community and Magnum presses at WPE, and present updates on double and triple-width projects including America’s the 6x2 Uniliner press now live at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the USA’s first.