Japanese publisher Iwate Nippo has made a commitment to the country’s earthquake-ravaged east with an order for two new newspaper presses.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Printing & Packaging Machinery will supply two new 4x1 DiamondSpirit presses for a new printing centre due to start up in 2016.

Headquartered in Morioka City – in one of the areas most devastated by the earthquake on March 11, 2011 – Iwate Nippo will celebrate its 140^th anniversary with launch of the new centre, on which MHI-PPM acts as a consultant.

The newspaper has been a leader in planning and support of social needs in the prefecture – where the 210,000-circulation daily is market-leader – publishing a report analysing earthquake preparations and focussing on restoration of residents’ livelihoods, industries and societies.

The new 80,000 cph presses will each be able to print 40-page newspaper with 24 pages in colour, an increase in colour content from the present 16 pages. Each will have three four-colour towers, two mono units, five reelstands and a 2:2 double rotary folder, with a 1626 mm web width and rail-type web threading which will take two ribbons through turner bars and bay windows to the RTF. Mitsubishi press controls include ink presetting, automatic colour register control.

Pictured: Iwate Nippo chairman Hiroshi Miura (centre right) and executive director Katsuhiro Yamazoe (right), with MHI-PPM president Masami Shimizu (centre left) and general manager of sales headquarters Yasuyuki Okurano (left)