At Ifra Expo 2001 KBA announced the sale of a large Colora press line to The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky. The purchase represents the largest Colora press sold in the US and the largest recent press sale by all suppliers. Shipment of the shaftless press to this million-population metropolis is slated for September 2003. The KBA Colora for The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky The Courier-Journal, which will be the main title printed on the new Colora, was established back in 1868. In 1987 it became part of the Gannett Co., Inc., which publishes 114 newspapers worldwide, including USA Today. The Courier-Journal reaches some 500,000 readers every weekday and almost 600,000 on Sundays, in Southern Indiana as well as in Kentucky. Among all major market US newspapers, The Courier-Journal ranks fourth in household penetration. Its popularity is driven by a long tradition of journalistic excellence at local, national and international level - an excellence that has won it the Pulitzer Prize a rare nine times. According to Gary L. Watson, president Newspaper Division, Gannett Co., Inc., "We have long been very familiar with KBA's position as one of the world's leading press manufacturers. They understand and have proven they can successfully deliver a press that fulfills the needs of The Courier-Journal." Edward E. Manassah, publisher of The Courier-Journal, said: "The Courier-Journal management team looked at presses throughout Europe and the United States. We selected the KBA Colora as the press that will fulfill our needs for now and well into the future." Powerful yet Versatile Installed on a concrete substructure, the new Colora will have a cylinder circumference of 1,066.8mm (42"), a web width of 1,270mm (50") and a maximum rated output of 75,000cph in straight production. The 533mm (21") cut-off represents the beginning of a new trend in North America towards an increase in paper savings via reduced cut-off and web width. The Colora will be configured as five four-high towers for 4/1, six for 4/4 or 2 x 2/2 and seven for full-colour 4/4, fed by 21 Pastostar reelstands. Automatic ink feed for black and process inks reflects the advanced level of automation. 28 turner bars with bay-window web leads, six skip slitters, three folder superstructures with six formers (stacked in pairs), two double folders (a 2:5:5 KF 5 and 2:3:3 KF 3) and a single KF 5 folder ensure maximum production flexibility. Production will be monitored and controlled from nine EAE consoles featuring a Print 4 production-scheduling and press preset system plus service and diagnostics PC. A RIP interface will support online digital data transfer from pre-press to press for presetting the ink keys. There is also provision for an interface to plate and film scanners. The press package includes an interactive, monitor-based simulation system supplied by Sinapse Graphic International, for training press operators prior to commissioning.