DOVER, N.H. May 2, 2003 - The potential benefits of Heidelberg's acquisition of IDAB WAMAC last year are rapidly becoming evident. Five gapless Mainstream presses slated for installation in France beginning in 2004 will be matched with IDAB WAMAC postpress systems. The Socpresse Group announced the postpress portion of the order in April, citing the advantages of integrated production systems from a single supplier. The Group publishes Le Progrès and Le Dauphiné Libéré, two of the largest daily publications in the Rhone-Alpe-Bourgogne region with a combined circulation of nearly 680,000. The postpress contract value is approximately 10 Million Euros.
The new Mainstream presses will be installed in three locations: Chassieu, Grenoble, and Saint-Etienne. All five are scheduled to be in production by the end of 2004. The integrated IDAB WAMAC postpress technology will include PCC 903 gripper conveyors, TS 800 stackers and WNC v5 control and information systems. The system modernization projects at the Socpresse Group facilities will also allow for the integration of existing components from other suppliers.
"This project illustrates the positive benefits of our partnership with IDAB WAMAC," according to Heidelberg director of newspaper postpress product management Peter Tassinari. "We have expanded our product range and strengthened our position as the only supplier in the industry that can provide integrated press and postpress systems."