October 18th, 2004 - With the first system in the world running successfully, and the first U.S. installation scheduled, the Goss Automatic Transfer (AT) feature is breaking new ground in web offset makeready efficiency, and creating new market opportunities for shorter run lengths. The on-the-run transfer option for Goss Sunday 2000 presses allows version changes or complete four-color job changeovers without stopping the press for a conventional makeready. FOT Imprimeurs in France has been using Automatic Transfer technology since January to print multiple versions of catalogs, direct mail pieces and other products. Makeready time and effort is virtually eliminated because the press does not stop between versions. FOT reports waste levels between jobs average a minimal 200 to 400 copies. FOT President Philippe Bourgeois points to a high-quality catalog printed in 13 different languages as a typical example of how the unprecedented changeover efficiency has opened new market opportunities. "This type of job would have been very time consuming and labor intensive without Automatic Transfer," he explains. "With the new press, FOT gives the customer the added value of a more personalized job without a prohibitive cost increase." Geographics in Atlanta, Georgia expects to duplicate those results when the company installs a similar Goss Sunday 2000 press in early 2005. "Our business is changing, and our customers want to target their products with shorter, customized versions," explains Geographics CEO Norvin Hagan. "Being able to do that with zero makeready will be a real competitive advantage to us from a cost standpoint and from a time- saving standpoint." "We have to almost be a marketing company now and help our customers reach their customers more directly and more personalized," adds Ron Lanio, Vice President of Sales at Geographics. "These customers are excited about the new, cost-effective opportunities for versioning that we are going to be able to provide with the automation and waste reduction features of the new Sunday 2000." Operators can bring one or more Goss Sunday 2000 AT units on impression while simultaneously taking another unit, or group of units off impression. Unlike competitive systems, the Goss Automatic Transfer system maintains a straight web lead, without air bars or diverters. That allows unlimited versatility in unit placement and eliminates print quality issues associated with touching or diverting the web. Presses with two AT units can be used for single-color version changes. A press line with eight AT units can complete four-color changeovers without stopping. The AT option is especially effective when complemented by the Goss Autoplate automatic plate changing feature. Operators at FOT automatically replate the idle unit in less than one minute while the press is running and then complete the automated transfer with the push of a button. The 24-page Goss Sunday 2000 press at Geographics will also be equipped with the Autoplate system. Norvin Hagan says the combination of gapless technology, Autoplate and Automatic Transfer creates an ideal platform to better serve customers. "With AT and Autoplate, we expect to run the press with a reduced crew and to run it continuously through several edition changes," he explains. "We will also have the option of bypassing the AT feature and using all six units for six-color jobs." Goss AT units include all of the features in standard Goss Sunday 2000 printing units, including 14-roll ink trains and convertible inking and dampening for high quality applications. Since the gapless Sunday press cylinders do not require bearers, they can be mounted in pivot boxes to achieve a wide blanket-to-blanket opening in idle AT units. This allows the web to pass through without the diverters or air bars required on presses from other manufacturers.