March 11, 2008 -- One of Eastern Germany's highest circulation daily newspapers (170,000 copies), the Ostsee-Zeitung in Rostock, is to upgrade its ad production and output management to AdMan and printnet OM solutions from the MAN Roland subsidiary, ppi Media. A contract was recently signed between the Hamburg-based software specialist for automated newspaper production solutions and the Ostsee-Zeitung GmbH & Co. KG, a company belonging to the Axel Springer group. By upgrading its printnet workflow, the Ostsee-Zeitung will not only achieve maximum automation and standardization in its production workflow, but also consolidate its system with the Lübecker Nachrichten.
 
New ad workflow with AdMan
The new ad solution will enable the publishers to organize their ad production workflow efficiently and flexibly. The ad booking system VI&VA from Lufthansa Systems will be seamlessly integrated in its existing printnet planning and production workflow with PlanPag, AdPag and ProPag. Ad-Man ideally complements VI&VA, ensuring a rational, end-to-end ad workflow. Ads can be booked, produced and billed in a single process. AdMan provides a number of enhanced, highly automated options for the production of different ad types, such as classified, liner or ROP ads.

"With the integrated media solution from ppi Media and Lufthansa Systems, this means improved networking and long-term optimization of our advertising production workflow", said Sven-Sören Ulrich, IT manager at the Ostsee-Zeitung. "The database-driven, open system architecture enables us to create a much more efficient and transparent production workflow and to link our ad sales zones to those of the Lübecker Nachrichten."
 
Intelligent output management with printnet OM
In the future the output management system printnet OM will make the prepress workflow more efficient. printnet OM optimizes the plate production workflow on a long-term basis, ensuring a fully-automated workflow from delivery of the digital pages to imaging. All prepress systems are seamlessly integrated in the printnet workflow via existing standard interfaces according to the company's requirements. Apart from the ppi publishing workflow, which has already been installed, these include ppi's Proof-Station, Agfa Harlequin RIPs and NewsDrive CTP platesetters and EAE's press control system.

At the Ostsee-Zeitung, the intelligent output management system is based on optimized production plans that are generated with PlanPag. The printing times and production catalogs of the KBA Commander are automatically taken into account. Production orders for printing forms are not assigned in the random order in which digital data enters the systems (first in – first out), but in the order in which they are to be printed (first needed – first out).

Uwe Gericke, technical director at the Ostsee-Zeitung, said: "With the printnet output management system, plate production can thus be seamlessly integrated in the publishing workflow."