Mohn Media has placed a major order for QuadTech ancillary press controls as part of an expansion plan that sees the company add two new MAN Lithoman IV presses to its production capability at Gütersloh in Germany. In addition to the two new Lithoman presses, six existing MAN Lithomans will be equipped with a full range of industry-leading controls, including QuadTech Color Control Systems with Instrument Flight, QuadTech Register Guidance Systems with MultiCam, QuadTech Ribbon Control Systems with MultiCam, and QuadTech Data Central. These are integrated with QuadTech’s ICON platform, which provides operational efficiencies and optimum use of computing hardware. Dr Gerd Meder, Head of Department of Technology at Mohn Media, explains the decision to go with QuadTech; “We compared QuadTech with four other suppliers. We had many aspects to consider but concluded that the QuadTech equipment was best suited to the high quality standards we set ourselves. Moreover, we have had QuadTech equipment installed on some of our KBA and MAN presses since 2000, and have been pleased with the performance.” With a focus on quality, Mohn Media has earned a reputation as one of Europe’s leading printing firms, and is contracted to print some of the best-recognised brands in global publishing, including National Geographic and Vogue. Part of the company’s success doubtless comes from keeping abreast of industry tends and investing in the right technology to exploit them. The purchase of the QuadTech equipment reflects this successful approach. Dr Meder explains: “There has been a significant increase in the number of new titles on the market. Both these and the established magazines have increased page counts, with the vast majority of these extra pages being dedicated to advertising. The battle for advertising has therefore become more intense than ever, with the winning magazines having the best quality colour. “The QuadTech Color Control System with Instrument Flight maintains the colour quality on our presses and delivers the consistency required to keep Mohn Media as number-one choice for the best-known magazines and their blue-chip advertisers.” The Color Control System helps operators to achieve excellent and consistent color throughout a press run, employing closed-loop control to precisely regulate ink keys in relation to an approved printed signature. In addition, the sophisticated software, which measures and analyses over 30 printing variables, reduces makeready times and allows cross-press matching where a job runs across two webs. The Color Control Systems will be supported in Mohn Media’s quest for the ultimate quality by two other key QuadTech products. First, color and ribbon register will be controlled by QuadTech’s MultiCam technology, with an ability to identify register marks as small as 0.36 mm (0.014 in). Searching for marks at an industry-leading rate of 30 times per second, MultiCam has superior performance at times of maximum register upset, such as a reel splice. Second, Data Central quantifies production quality through its Performance Reporting Module. With relevant, powerful data at its fingertips, Mohn Media will be able to boost productivity and performance by identifying potential improvements in the way jobs are run. This will be particularly important as the company increases its focus on waste “It is every firm’s ambition to reduce waste to an absolute minimum. The QuadTech solutions will help us get as near to that ideal level as possible,” confirms Dr Meder. The ICON platform also facilitates the drive towards zero waste. Using the Automated set-up module, all controls on a press can be pre-set to enable production of saleable copy in the minimum number of turns. This feature will become increasingly beneficial as JDF operation becomes the norm. “We are keen to adopt any technology that gives our customers a better and more cost-effective service,” concludes Dr. Meder. “The roots of Mohn Media can be traced back to 1824.This long history and our focus on the latest production technologies makes our company one the most prestigious and respected printing companies in Europe.”