In Chinese astrology and mythology the year of the Dragon augurs change and entrepreneurial success. Huashang Digital, a media enterprise in Xian, northwest China, started the year as it means to go on by placing an order for a KBA Commander heatset press line engineered for the Berliner format. It will be the first of its kind in China and only the second in Asia. Management opted for this particular press type in order to maintain its present rapid growth rate.

One of the leading media groups in China
Xian, the capital of Shaanxi province, has some four million inhabitants and is thus a huge market. Huashang Digital's 600-plus employees produce the Huashang Bao, Xinwenhua Bao and Chongqing Shibao. Including contracts for the parent, Huashang Media Group, and other publishing houses, the company prints a total of almost 100 titles. Huashang Media Group has over 15,000 employees and annual sales of around 3.3 billion renminbi (approximately $530m), making it a heavyweight in the Chinese media sector. Its diverse operations embrace newspapers, magazines, internet activities, publishing houses, delivery services, printing plants, trade fairs and outdoor advertising.

“The installation of a big Comet press line at the Huashang Bao newspaper group in 2004 demonstrated KBA's competence and reliability. Worldwide, and particularly here in China, the Commander's high output, flexibility and superb print quality have gained it an outstanding reputation. KBA's advanced technology will enable us to satisfy even the most challenging production specifications,” says a delighted Huashang Digital general manager Wang Xiao Di. “The flawless performance of the Comet press and the satisfaction of the Commander users we visited confirmed our decision to drive future growth in alliance with KBA.”

High performance and extensive automation
The new Commander will have a cylinder circumference of 940mm (37in) and is scheduled for installation in Xian next spring. It will comprise six Pastomat reelstands, six four-high printing towers, a thermal dryer and two KF 5 double jaw folders. Stitchers, length perforators and a plough fold capability for four-page centre spreads will offer additional flexibility. A double-width infeed will allow the press to pump out as many as 180,000 24-page full-colour copies per hour. The heatset web can be any width between 1,200mm (47.24in) and 1,280mm (50.39in).

Colour and cut-off register controls, ink-pumping, a RIP interface, Print job-preparation and presetting software and six EAE consoles are evidence of the Commander's advanced level of automation. The press package includes Ferag mailroom technology.