Sewickley, Pennsylvania May 22, 2002 -- Installation has begun of a four-unit Rotoman web offset press in the research and training facility of the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation. The system arrived one year after MAN Roland signed its pledge to donate the Rotoman to GATF. The press’ arrival and installation was featured on the PIA/GATF website - gain.org - and toasted at the Web Offset Association Annual Meeting which was held in Las Vegas at the beginning of this month. "For printing to remain as the first communications medium, it has to advance as quickly as competitive media," said Yves Rogivue, CEO of MAN Roland Inc., at the event. "MAN Roland’s donation of the latest in web press technology to GATF is designed to help the Foundation expand print’s parameters." GATF’s Rotoman is a four-couple press integrated with a 1:2:3 combination folder and capable of producing 65,000 copies per hour. It is equipped with such innovations as Power Plate Loading (PPL), AC shaftless drives, and MAN Roland’s PECOM command and control system. The press’ public commissioning is scheduled to take place on September 19th. Over 500 of the industry’s top decision makers will be invited to attend the event, which will include PPL demonstrations, distribution of a commemorative publication that will be printed on the press, facility tours, and a commissioning gala. "Equally exciting will be the ongoing schedule of training courses utilizing the press set to start in August 2002," a GATF announcement declared. "Workshops are now being developed on operation training and preventive maintenance. Once installed, the new web press will greatly boost GATF's capabilities. New workshops, paper research, ink testing, and more will be offered." Shipment and installation of the press was no lightweight exercise. The entire system weighs in at 156,506 lbs. Each printing unit tips the scales at 21,252 lbs., while the system’s folder and former weigh 36,287 lbs.