August 10th, 2007 – Graficki Zavod Hrvatske (GZH) has ordered a Goss M-600 press in its first venture into web offset printing. The investment has been made to increase the strength of GZH’s position within the competitive short-run Croatian commercial printing market. The new press will be used to print books, including school books, and other commercial products for the local area.
Goss International will supply the new four-unit M-600 press – the first of its kind in this region – with Autoplate automatic plate changing technology and integrated color controls to optimize makeready speed and waste reduction. An Ecocool dryer with integrated chill rolls and remoistening for premium print quality will also be supplied.
Marin Milkovic, deputy managing director of GZH comments on the company’s choice, “When the decision was made to invest in a web press the top priority was to find the best print quality in the 16-page press market. Our first and only choice was the Goss M-600 press because of its excellent reputation and the added benefit of a number of makeready features. Our strong relationship with Heidelberg, Goss International’s local agent in Croatia, was also a key consideration.”
Installation is scheduled for late summer 2007 in a new facility alongside the company’s existing site in Zagreb. GZH produces a wide range of premium quality products, from posters, leaflets, notebooks, diaries and calendars to brochures and books. The press will also increase GZH’s capacity to compete with other local printers.
Milkovic continues, “GZH is the largest sheetfed printing and book binding company in Croatia, with a long history in book production dating back to 1874. In recent years GZH has invested heavily in modern technology and state-of-the-art equipment in order to remain competitive and at the forefront of the industry. The purchase of the Goss M­600 web offset press is the latest of these investments and a switch from our traditional sheetfed business. GZH will now cover the whole spectrum of customer requirements and be able to provide additional flexibility and services to its clients.”
Ante Zuzul, owner of GZH concludes, “The Croatian market is very competitive so it is important to have a clearly defined stance within the market. We expect our investment in web offset to improve productivity at GZH and, perhaps more importantly, help us to strengthen our position as a flexible and responsive specialist printer within the short-run market.”