October 3rd, 2008 – Independent UK publisher and contract printer the Newbury Weekly News Group has secured an order with Goss International for a new Goss Uniliner press. The investment will almost double the printing capacity at the company's Newbury headquarters and support its thriving contract printing business.

The Newbury Weekly News Group prints 30 separate contract titles in addition to its own publications. As its current press approached full capacity, the management team looked to invest. "All our key production slots were full," said Adrian Martin, managing director. "We've been contract printing for 30 years and, since the introduction of a Goss Universal press in 2005, that side of the business has expanded three-fold, so it was a logical step for us to increase our printing capacity still further."

The new, double-width Uniliner press, scheduled to go on production in the summer of 2009, will be configured as two four-high towers, two reelstands and a 2:3:3 jaw folder. To use the space available to its maximum effect, Goss International will install the new press in Newbury's existing press hall and at 90 degrees to the existing Universal two-around press.

"It was never an option to move," Martin explains. "We have an excellent location here at Newbury, vital to distribution, so we definitely wanted to work within our existing facility. Our relationship with Goss International is excellent and it has been a rewarding process working with them to find the best possible solution to add value and productivity to our press hall."

The new Uniliner press will not only boost capacity for Newbury, but also provide excellent print quality, high productivity and a myriad of format capabilities. When fully commissioned, the new press will provide Newbury with the flexibility of running the Uniliner configuration independently, or combining it with the Universal press to produce full-color tabloid products of up to 160 pages.

Martin elaborates on the need for press expansion, "As a local newspaper publisher we've realized we're very good at three things: building a solid platform of readers, selling advertising and, thirdly, printing.

"We're very confident in the future of local newspapers, and believe that people will still be buying and reading them well into the future. We've proved that there is a market for printers of our size, with the attention to detail we provide and who can meet the high standards of quality and the personal service customers require and deserve, so this is the area of our business we are looking to cultivate."

Jeremy Willis, chairman of Newbury Weekly News Group and its owner Blacket Turner & Co, said the company decided to act now because it was a natural progression for the business.

"We purchased the Universal press four years ago and it's effectively running at full capacity so it's time to look at the next step," said Willis. "We have faith in our business and our capabilities and with an ongoing investment in technology we can take maximum advantage from any opportunities that come our way."

John Chambers, Goss International sales director for the UK and Ireland comments, "The configuration that Newbury has selected provides huge scope for production. The standalone Uniliner press will produce up to 64 full-color tabloid pages but when run in combination with the existing Universal press that figure increases to 160 pages in full color. This gives Newbury a lot of options for their contract work and I think customers will be excited to see what's on offer in terms of product formats and time slots."

Chambers continues, "This will be the first Uniliner press to be installed in the UK, which is an important milestone. Since its launch in 1999, over 600 Goss Uniliner units have been installed in 18 countries around the world. The proven quality, flexibility and reliability of the Uniliner press will undoubtedly provide Newbury with the right tools to support their expansion plans."

The Newbury Weekly News Group is owned by Blacket Turner & Co. Ltd, founded in the late 1980s as a holding company for various media interests. The company commemorates Walter Blacket and Thomas Wheildon Turner, founders of the Newbury Weekly News in 1867. Today, Blacket Turner continues to be owned by the original founding family, of whom five generations have served in executive positions within the company.

Newbury Weekly News Group now publishes many titles, including the flagship and award-winning newspaper Newbury Weekly News, weekly free distribution newspaper The Advertiser, monthly Newbury Business Today and monthly Out & About magazine, along with other supplements and special publications produced throughout the year. The company also prints more than 30 different titles for other publishers.