“Newspapers industry in India is in a very good condition but with time that market will warm up to the digital technology,” said Alwin Stadler, vice president digital printing, Manroland Web Systems. Digital printing newspaper boasts of bringing in the possibilities for the newspaper publishers to think about new ideas such as region specific advertisements.
However, he agreed that the newspaper market in India is very price competitive and hence, it will be the shorter run-lengths that will drive the market for them. “At the end, it’s not about the technology of printing as inkjet’s capabilities have been proven. The starting point, however, for this technology will be book printing.”
Océ JetStream 5500 is a 762mm wide full-colour inkjet web press that can print at 600x480dpi at up to 254 metres per min (mpm) or 200mpm in 1,200dpi perceived quality mode. This gives it a maximum hourly output of 30,000 B2 format sheets, 5,140 A4 images, 4,000 24pp broadsheet sections, or 8,000 24pp tabloid sections.
Manroland's Foldline VPF 211 creates broadsheet newspapers with up to 96 pages and up to 12 newspaper sections at 254mpm. It permits variability in formats, number of sections and cut-offs. Book signatures and cylinder-stitched booklets in a number of different formats can be delivered with short make-ready times.
“There are two configurations that we offer – offline and online. Both these configurations combine Océ's new JetStream 5500 full-colour inkjet press with Manroland Web System's FoldLine VPF 211 variable pin folder. This offers printers the flexibility to produce a range of newspaper formats as well as books and magazines,” explained Stadler
Stadler added that till now companies have been talking to several publishers on different levels, but to make the technology acceptable throughout the industry, it is necessary to discuss the technology with all stakes holders in the demand-supply chain.