Ahrensburg – The Bristol Herald Courier, owned by Lee Enterprises, is investing in an upgrade for their KBA Comet newspaper press. For this upgrade, the Herald Courier (Bristol, Virginia) partnered with EAE Engineering Automation GmbH (EAE). With the upgrade of the current EAE control solutions, the paper can count on extending the reliability and run ability of the press.

The KBA Comet, installed in 2004, is still in good mechanical condition. The press consists of five eight-couple towers and three folders. It was equipped with the EAE control system with four consoles from the start. Keeping the press operational according to required standards made it necessary to modernize and replace the existing EAE hardware and software components. “The current system was getting outdated and in order to keep the quality and efficiency desired, modernization was necessary. With the upgrade of the EAE solutions, the reliability and run ability of the press are maximized again,” says Kevin Arrington, production manager at the Herald Courier.

Besides exchanging the PC hardware of the EAE Control Consoles and updating the software, the EAE PrintPP system has also received an upgrade. The updated PrintPP, which supports production in pre-setting and production planning, together with EAE Info will ensure that the Herald Courier can make optimal use of easy and transparent production planning, resulting in less waste and money saved. “With the extensive upgrade of the KBA Comet press, we can rest assured we have a reliable system supported by a highly qualified EAE service team,” says Kevin Arrington.

“Convincing the customer to act on the upgrade was the right decision,” says Larry Macko, managing director at QIPC-EAE Americas. “They will benefit greatly from the more efficient operation and the generated savings.”

The Bristol Herald Courier has a daily circulation of up to 41,000. The Sunday circulation is about 44,000. Besides the printed paper, the Herald Courier also publishes its news online and via broadcast operations. Lee Enterprises owns daily newspapers, digital products and over 350 weekly and specialty publications serving 77 markets in 26 states.

For more information on EAE, please visit www.eae.com.