DOVER, NH - With a dynamic light show and soundtrack conveying the excitement of a $31.6 million upgrade project, The Roanoke Times introduced customers, community leaders and invited guests to the first Heidelberg Mainstream press in the United States on October 17. More than 200 people attended the grand opening at the newspaper's new 47,000-square-foot production facility in the heart of downtown Roanoke, Virginia. Heidelberg chairman Bernhard Schreier presented Heidelberg's Power of Innovation award to the paper's president and publisher, Wendy Zomparelli. Schreier complemented her team for pursuing the most advanced production technologies in an effort to make printed media more compelling. Zomparelli spoke eloquently about the essential role printed newspapers continue to play and their complementary relationship with electronic media. She emphasized how new capabilities provided by the Mainstream, especially higher print quality and the ability produce full color on every page, will make the paper an even more valuable asset to readers and advertisers in the Roanoke region. Schreier noted that The Roanoke Times is the first newspaper in the world to install major press and postpress systems from a single vendor. Heidelberg gripper conveyors pick up papers from the Mainstream and carry them across a street by way of an enclosed sky bridge to a mailroom equipped with a new 32-station Heidelberg Magnapak packaging system. The Mainstream press in Roanoke includes six four-high towers with a total of 48 printing couples. Heidelberg supplied seven Contiweb FD pasters and 2:5:5 jaw folders. "Gapless blanket print quality, expanded color and plate saving economy of a one-around 1x4 plate cylinder configuration were the critical factors in our press decision, according to Chip Harris, production director at The Roanoke Times. Live production with the new Mainstream press will begin later this month. A web cam at www.roanoke.com/roatimes/webcam provides continuously updated photos and information on the Mainstream installation.