September 9, 2005 -- Printing giant Valassis has added an extensive range of QuadTech auxiliary press controls to four new MAN Lithoman presses installed at its Durham facility in the USA. The QuadTech equipment, including QuadTech Register Guidance Systems, QuadTech Ribbon Control Systems, QuadTech Color Control Systems and QuadTech Data Central, has been purchased to ensure that Valassis continues to deliver excellent quality to its customers. Valassis specializes in Free Standing Inserts (FSI), providing cooperative coupons for over 500 major newspapers. It is part of the original FSI industry in the USA, having played a pivotal role in its development since 1971. Bill Hogg, Executive Vice President of Operations and Manufacturing at Valassis, is enthusiastic about the addition of the QuadTech ancillaries to the new presses; “We have great expectations for the Color Control Systems and Register Guidance technology in terms of print accuracy and consistency. In a market where color is so important to clients and consumers alike, Valassis is committed to producing the very best.” The QuadTech Color Control System will help Valassis eliminate subjective judgment of color during press runs. It uses video-based technology to automatically search for and track micro color bars. Reading these, at full press speed, it provides real-time information to control color accuracy, while displaying important print attributes such as print contrast, trap and dot gain. The QuadTech equipment will also help Valassis adapt to changing market trends. As Bill testifies, “The industry is migrating towards SC (Super Calendar) paper. As the quality of paper changes it is our priority to sustain the high standards we set ourselves. The Register Guidance Systems ensure that the quality of our products is kept at optimum level.” Valassis continues to flourish and remains a true pioneer of the FSI industry. Its success is not limited to the industry in which it operates – in 2005 Valassis was present on the prestigious Fortune “100 best companies to work for” list. With this track record, it is not surprising that Valassis has a strong policy on waste and is deservedly proud of its waste management focus. Bill expects that the QuadTech Ribbon Control Systems will contribute to already impressive statistics; “At Valassis we achieve outstandingly low waste, to a level that is almost unheard of in this industry. Even so, as a company that is always striving to move forward in all aspects of our operations, we take every opportunity to improve. The installation of ribbon control technology is one of those opportunities, which will improve the quality of our folded products and reduce the number of spoiled copies.” Ensuring that waste is kept to a minimum is also one of the benefits of QuadTech Data Central. This is a result of its Automated Setup Module, which allows operators to pre-enter and retrieve job-setup information and then apply it to networked press-control systems. This facility, specifically beneficial at press start-ups, is complemented by the Data Central Performance Reporting Module, which provides invaluable measurements of press performance and enables operators to improve the efficiency of their processes. Combining these features with the other latest technology products from QuadTech can make a considerable impact on pressroom profitability and improve customer satisfaction through reduced turnaround times. The latest technology is one of the main reasons that Valassis chose QuadTech. As Bill confirms, “The QuadTech equipment has many unique features that set it head and shoulders above the rest. The after sale support is also fantastic. Overall, I like the organization and the way it does business. QuadTech was the natural selection for us.”