Prinovis, a rotogravure joint venture between media services giant arvato Bertelsmann and two of Germany's largest publishing companies Gruner + Jahr and Axel Springer, has ordered four QuadTech Autotron Gravure 2200 Register Guidance Systems for the first presses going into its new state-of-the-art super-plant in Liverpool, UK. Prinovis Liverpool plans to take full advantage of the performance benefits delivered by QuadTech's precise color-to-color and ribbon register. The evaluation of the register solution at Prinovis Liverpool stretched across three months, encompassing several suppliers and their users across continental Europe and the USA. Today's gravure presses are both wider and faster than ever before, bringing massive benefits in terms of overall press productivity. However, these productivity gains raise issues in terms of web stability and the need for more accurate color-to-color registration and ribbon control. “Prinovis Liverpool was not only impressed by QuadTech's ability to give assurances on a maximum standard deviation on color-to-color control of 0.03mm and 0.3mm for ribbon control,” states QuadTech Sales Manager, Stewart Dyer. “But also the potential to reach full registration in four press web lengths from start-up.” The Autotron Gravure 2200 offers press operators a very high level of automation, with system pre-setting, scanning head pre-setting and compensator pre-alignment. This ensures fast hands-off makeready and optimum steady-state running with color registration front and back, web distortion compensation, register into the folder and web slitting all controlled from a single touch screen. To provide ultimate quality for magazines, printed mailings and catalogues, Prinovis Liverpool will also capitalize on the information management provided by the Autotron Gravure 2200 on press performance levels. “By using the data provided by the system, press crews can analyze their operating procedures and improve efficiencies,” states Stewart. The significant investment by Prinovis Liverpool in QuadTech equipment is another example of QuadTech's passion to partner with its customers ensuring them a more prosperous long-term future. “QuadTech''s commitment to providing customers with industry leading technology that brings increased performance, as well as our company's size and strength, means that any project will be successfully completed and supported throughout its life cycle. “This was a key factor for Prinovis Liverpool - it was important that service, parts and training were available from a local office in the UK, which has the backing and stability of a global organization,” concludes Stewart. Over £120m has been invested in the 500,000 sq ft Prinovis Liverpool facility, which will create more than 400 jobs when running at full capacity in 2008. The facility is located on the Liverpool International Business Park, near the city's John Lennon Airport.