DOVER, NH - Training is reaching higher levels with the installation of a fully operational Mainstream press tower at Heidelberg's Web Systems Customer Training Center. At the newly remodeled facility in Dover, New Hampshire, 5,300 square feet is now dedicated to the only fully operational double-width newspaper press in North America installed for operator, mechanical and electrical training. The four-high Mainstream tower is configured with a JF-255 folder and Contiweb FD flying paster. The working press produces eight-page broadsheet or 16-page tabloid sections in full color and allows Heidelberg to support classroom instruction with practical, hands-on training experience. The first Mainstream presses in North America are currently being installed, so the timing is ideal for the Training Center addition, according to Heidelberg Web Systems vice president Doug Gibson. "This facility reflects our commitment to the newspaper sector and the growing success of the gapless Mainstream Press," he adds. Two of the Mainstream installations are nearing completion at the Transcontinental Group in Montreal, Canada, and a third is underway at The Roanoke Times in Roanoke, Virginia. Heidelberg has received orders for more than 20 Mainstream presses worldwide. "As newspaper production has evolved into a high-tech manufacturing operation, the equipment has become more sophisticated, and training has become more critical," explains Gary Fisher, director of the Customer Training Center in Dover. "Adding the operational press tower now gives us the full range of tools necessary to provide the knowledge and hands-on experience our customers need to maximize the productivity of their Mainstream systems." Experience with a running press is designed to strengthen the training results for Mainstream press operators as well as those responsible for electrical and mechanical maintenance. The new Heidelberg facility also offers Mainstream users a controlled environment for training and testing with chemistry, consumables and press settings that are identical to those used in their actual operations. The Heidelberg Web Systems Customer Training Center in Dover is staffed by six full-time instructors who work directly with the Heidelberg engineers. The collaborative approach allows them to integrate mechanical, electrical and operational training considerations early on in the press design and installation processes. Combined, the team has more than 150 years of experience in web press systems operations, installation, documentation and training. Also available through the training center is an AGFA CTP system. Working knowledge of this prepress system aids customers in equipment integration to further optimize system productivity. "Training has traditionally been held at the newspaper site or with static equipment and simulators," explains Fisher. "Now we are providing an alternative operational environment free from interruptions and distractions." Fisher says investment in focused, comprehensive training programs should go hand in hand with investment in press technology. "The Mainstream Lab expands our ability to customize and deliver those kinds of programs for new installations and on an ongoing basis," he concludes.