November 14th, 2005 – In what is rapidly proving to be a winning partnership, Goss International through its agent, Heidelberg Eastern Europe, has taken a massive order in the Baltics for newspaper and commercial web press equipment. Part of a €30 million expansion program, Preses Nams, the largest printing concern in the Baltics, has ordered a shaftless Goss Universal 75 newspaper web press with digital inking plus two duplexed Goss M-600 commercial web presses for installation in a new state-of-the-art print facility in Riga, Latvia. Based close to Riga International Airport, Preses Nams’ new printing complex is expected to be the biggest and most modern in the Baltics. Already supplying services to Western Europe, Russia, the CIS countries as well as the Baltic markets, the new facility is part of a strategic goal to further strengthen the company’s position in the EU and Eastern European countries. Scheduled to be completed in July 2006, it will be one of three sites at which the company and its affiliates, including sister company Mediju (Media) Nams, publish and print primarily magazines, newspapers, books and packaging with now massive expansion into commercial printing. Committed to this drive towards commercial expansion, Preses Nams has chosen to become the first 32-page printing facility in the Baltics through the purchase of two stacked, duplexed Goss M-600 presses. With a 625 mm cut-off, the presses will each run at 55,000 impressions per hour. They have been specified with automated color control, Goss Autoplate technology and Goss Ecocool dryers with integrated remoistening. The Ecocool remoistening system will address potential problems related to paper drying properties, as well as providing Preses Nams with positive quality and flexibility advantages. The two M-600 presses are due to ship from the Goss Montataire facility in March 2006. Scheduled to ship at the same time from Goss’ plant in Nantes is a shaftless single-width, double circumference Goss Universal 75 newspaper press. With 560 mm cut-off and 914mm web width, the press will produce a format close to ‘Nordic’ broadsheet and resembling a range of products commonplace in Central and Western Europe, making it ideal for decentralized shorter run contract printing of major titles. Comprising four four-high towers, four reelstands and two high-specification Goss Universal 2:3:3 jaw folders for the production of tabloid and broadsheet products, the press has been designed for easy operation, product flexibility and future expansion. Operating with Goss Level 3 press controls incorporating local and remote diagnostics, the Universal press will feature Goss DigiRail digital inking for accurate ink presetting, a high degree of repeatability and no requirement for calibrating or establishing zero settings. Additional production flexibility is aided by folder features including ‘push button’ changeover between straight/collect delivery mode, as well as an automated quarterfold module for production of magazine size products. According to Mr. Sergejs Guscins, Development Director at Preses Nams, the equipment purchased confirms Preses Nams as the premier printing house in the Baltics as well as establishing the company as a key resource for much of Russia, Eastern, Western and Central Europe. “This investment underlines Preses Nams’ commitment to the market and supports our drive towards further developing our commercial business. It is a very important step for the company and we had to feel confident in our chosen partners. We have absolute confidence that we have chosen the best technology, and Goss and Heidelberg Eastern Europe have been dependable and highly responsive in helping us determine the facilities and equipment that will enable us to achieve our goals. The round-the-clock support from a single-source supplier is an important factor in this order. Through its state-of-the-art technology, product offerings matched to the market requirements and its global/local sales and service infrastructure, Goss is an ideal partner in this expansion program.” Preses Nams was established in 1998 through the privatization of what was formerly Latvia’s largest state-owned printing plant. The company currently has approximately 880 employees and achieved a turnover in 2004 of €26.9 million.