The print company “Mengis Druck AG” situated in the city of Visp produces the Walliser Bote. They plan to replace their aging conventional offset newspaper press, a Wifag OF7, which is running since 32 years already. Mainly economic considerations lead to this decision, explains Martin Seematter, MD of Mengis Druck, in an article of the newspaper about the planned investment.
Mengis Druck is active in a wide print market in the region using different press technologies like sheet-fed and web offset.
The print plant is looking for a new printing technology that can be used not only for newspaper printing. The utilisation of the old conventional press was not very satisfying any more, according to the management. In order to achieve new business perspectives in future digital inkjet was the printing technology of choice.
The new production machinery is expected to print the newspaper in the night but also commercial print products during daytime, such as books, mailings, signatures and personalised advertising materials.
According to the plans of Nicolas Mengis, the owner of the print company, the new digital newspaper printing project will take off in June this year. It combines the following machines and equipment:
• HP T400 colour inkjet web press (the first of its kind in Switzerland)
• Manroland web systems FoldLine, folding system for digital newspaper print systems
• Müller Martini mailroom system, including AlphaLiner inserter, feeders, addressing unit, stacker, top sheet applicator, strapping unit and control system
The complete production system is planned to be delivered to the printing company right after Eastern. June would be reserved for test runs. One month later the system is expected to take up regular production service.