May 13th, 2008 – McCormick-Armstrong, a full-service printing company established in 1901, will install a new Goss M-600 web press in mid 2008. The 16-page press will expand commercial and direct mail printing capacity at the McCormick-Armstrong facility in Wichita, Kansas. The company also expects to shift some of its work volume from sheetfed to web offset due to the short-run efficiency of the new web press.

Jake Shaffer, president and CEO of McCormick-Armstrong, said press automation and Goss International support were vital factors in the investment decision.

"The M-600 press is state-of-the-art, particularly with the Goss Web Center makeready, presetting, closed-loop control and digital workflow capabilities," Shafer explained. "The Harris, Heidelberg Web and now Goss International organization has also stood behind us 100 percent for decades. They have the most extensive resources, and their track record gives us full confidence going into this new project."

Goss International will equip the new five-unit M-600 system at McCormick-Armstrong with a Goss Contiweb CS splicer, an Ecocool dryer and Autoplate fully automatic plate changing technology. A JF-55 combination folder will include automated single-button changeover capability, accessible from any control screen within the press system, and a module to produce 4- and 8-page magazine signatures. The press will also be equipped with a sheeter for added versatility. Crews from McCormick-Armstrong will attend operator and maintenance training programs at the Goss International facility in New Hampshire prior to the press installation.

McCormick-Armstrong provides a complete range of commercial printing services, including heatset web and sheetfed offset production. The third-generation family owned business also serves customers through an international network of print, packaging and production affiliates. The company has experienced a growth in direct mail projects in recent years. Shaffer says the new M-600 press will add capacity as well as efficiency and he envisions transitioning a greater portion of work from sheetfed to web offset production.

"The print quality of the M-600 press is legendary," according to Shaffer. "We feel the automation will also allow us to excel at extremely short run lengths, bringing new web offset opportunities and value to our customers."

"We're pleased to extend our relationship with McCormick-Armstrong," according to Goss International vice president Graham Trevett. "In-depth cooperation among our teams throughout the planning phase reflects a strong partnership, and we have worked together to configure the right press system to support their requirements." Trevett noted that McCormick-Armstrong has installed multiple M-110, M-300 and M-1000 systems, including one of the first M-1000 presses ever manufactured.

Shaffer complimented Goss International on its assistance with press specifications, auxiliary selection and installation planning and he emphasized the importance of ongoing support.

"We're not a company with excess capacity that can afford to have a press down for even a short period of time," he explains. "The Goss International team has shown us that it understands how vital around-the-clock responsiveness is and that it has the resources to come through for us throughout the life of a press."