South African printer and publisher Rising Sun Printers, based near Durban, has ordered a new Goss Community press to meet growing production requirements for an expanding range of titles. The five-tower configuration is currently being installed into a new press hall.

Rising Sun decided on a new-generation Goss Community press based on past experience with Goss equipment, according to joint owner and managing director, Vijay Maharaj. “There are cheaper presses out there but we’re investing in the peace of mind that comes with the Goss name. The success of print production for our company has been entirely established and developed through Goss engineering and manufacturing quality,” explains Maharaj. “Our original press was already 25 years old when we started printing 10 years ago and, with a couple of tower additions and an additional folder along the way, it has served us reliably as we have grown over that time. Having said that, this new Community press will take our production set-up into a new dimension – a lot has changed in the appearance and features of the Community since our last installation,” he adds.

The new 578mm cut-off press for Rising Sun will have five four-high towers, two SSC folders equipped with quarterfold capability and five zero-speed splicers. Featuring spiral brush dampening and a Goss motorized register system, the press has been configured to allow for a further tower addition in the future.

Rising Sun Printers is an independent publisher originally established to address the need for a free community newspaper that could provide information on local services and events. The first newspaper started a trend in South Africa, according to Maharaj, and today, the company employs 250 people in printing and publishing a further seven such tabloid titles weekly. The most recent of these was founded just a year ago. In total, Rising Sun Printers prints around 20 community newspapers per week. These range in size up to 80 pages per edition and are printed in run lengths up to 60,000 copies per week.

“We still have room for expansion,” asserts Maharaj. “Our titles have grown in number and readership because they meet a real need in the community for local information and locally focused news items. It’s a consumer-driven format with the flexibility to develop along with changes in local society and tastes. In choosing a modular press system from a proven partner, we are ensuring that our production capabilities will be able to keep pace with these changes.”