German newspaper publisher Fränkische Landeszeitung in Ansbach has reaffirmed its longstanding and successful association with Koenig & Bauer AG (KBA) by placing an order for a Commander CL. The extensively automated 48-page press line with three reelstands, three four-high towers and two folders is scheduled for installation in autumn 2013, replacing a 1990s-vintage KBA Journal. Since unveiling this new press type at IFRA Expo 2011 in Vienna, Würzburg-based KBA, the market leader, has sold five Commander CL press lines, with customers citing flexible automation and the ability to deliver top-quality newspapers and semi-commercials as the deciding factors.

Enhancing quality, performance and cost efficiency
Guido Mehl, joint publisher and managing director of Fränkische Landeszeitung, says: “Printed regional titles, with their serious and many-faceted coverage of local events, have a bright future in a multimedia environment and will remain our primary business asset. However, readers' and advertisers' expectations are becoming ever more sophisticated and we must address their demands more effectively while enhancing our production efficiency and controlling costs. We needed to replace the existing press and opted for the compact four-high Commander CL from Koenig & Bauer after rigorously screening the technology available on the market.” Joint publisher and managing director Harald W Wiedfeld adds: “With the KBA Commander CL's cutting-edge inking technology we shall achieve an even better print quality with much less waste. One-touch operation and an array of automation modules will enhance operator efficiency and ease of use, enabling staff to concentrate on control functions. At the same time KBA RollerTronic automated roller locks and dedicated drives will reduce both maintenance input and energy consumption. With this highly advanced press we are well geared up to ensure that our printed products have a successful future.”

Respected Franconian newspaper publishing house
The Fränkische Landeszeitung has a daily circulation of around 50,000 copies and is published in four local editions for the regions embracing Ansbach, Neustadt/Scheinfeld/Uffenheim, Dinkelsbühl/Feuchtwangen and Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The publishing house also has a weekly free, Woche im Blick, which has a total circulation of some 125,000 copies and is published in two editions - a southern one on Thursdays and a northern one on Wednesdays. As well as distributing newspapers and pamphlets Fränkische Landeszeitung also operates a regional postal service.

Customised technology
The Commander CL double-width substructure press will be engineered for the Berliner format (cylinder circumference 940mm/37in; maximum web width 1,260mm/49.6in). In straight production it will have a maximum rated output of 84,000 full-colour copies per hour. The press package includes:

3 KBA Pastomat reelstands embedded in a KBA Patras A automatic reel handling system with stripping station;

automatic pagination change;

3 printing towers with manual plate change, RollerTronic roller locks, fan-out compensation, automatic colour-register controls, CleanTronic cylinder washing units, automatic inking- and dampening-unit cleaning and central ink pumping;

3 turner-bar units, a folder superstructure with two formers, a KBA KF 3 jaw folder and an additional, overhauled folder from the existing Journal press;

Cut-off register, web-guidance controls and pre-former web guiding systems;

2 KBA ErgoTronic consoles with EasyTronic waste- and time-saving press start-up (EasyStart) and automated rundown (EasyClean-up);

KBA PressNet for scheduling, presetting and process control.

Provision has been made for the addition of an optional section stitcher and optional third former.