Finishing & Screen Printing
WRH Marketing UK Wins Major Ferag Order From Smurfit Kappa
Wednesday 08. April 2009 - WRH Marketing UK Ltd has supplied a new state-of-the-art publishing line to Smurfit Kappa, which is currently creating at its Kells factory the most sophisticated newspaper press line in Ireland with the installation of a Manroland Colorman XXL.
The Ferag equipment includes a UTR pick-up station with TCP grippers, MultiStack, Underwrap and SmartStrap facilities, as well as dispatch control and LineMaster control.
“We produce a range of titles for News International and Associated Newspapers, including The Sun, Daily Mail, Sunday Times, Times and Racing Post,” says Tom Mooney, chief executive of Smurfit Kappas Print Division. “We thoroughly researched the market before making any investment decisions, and we could see that there would be major benefits in having a similar press line to those now in operation at News Internationals UK sites. This meant that we could visit their plants and see their Colorman XXL and Ferag mailing equipment in operation, producing exactly the same titles as we would on our Colorman XXL.
“We also visited Ferags headquarters in Switzerland and other plants where its systems were in use. There was no doubt in our minds that the Ferag mailroom systems are number one in the market in terms of quality, reliability, productivity and performance. In addition, as we already operate Ferag equipment here at Kells on our KBA presses, we have experience of the sound after-sales support provided by Ferag and WRH Marketing UK. This is vital on such a large project.”
The Colorman XXL is a triple wide press, capable of printing 288 tabloid pages or 144 broadsheet pages in full colour. When in production, the new press can produce up to 86,000 copies an hour in straight mode. From the presss two folders, newspapers will be taken by the Ferag UTR Universal conveyor, which provides superior flexibility for the pick-up of printed products at the folder delivery and offers a 2 to 1 offset facility, ensuring even- and odd-numbered bundle formation while cutting chain speed by half during production. This, in turn, extends the life cycle of the chain.
Copies will be transported by Ferags unique gripper system and forwarded to a MultiStack stacker, which can generate up to 40 bundles per minute. The line is also equipped with Ferags LineMaster control, underwrapping facilities and SmartStrap machines for inline cross-strapping. The line will then deliver the bundled product to PKT dispatch conveyor systems.
“Ferags TPC grippers provide great flexibility in the way we handle work coming out of the 4/7/7 folders on the Colorman XXL,” says Mr Mooney. “It is also relatively easy to expand the Ferag line by retrofitting additional facilities such as stitching and inserting should we wish to in the future. The installation of the Ferag equipment has gone smoothly and were very pleased indeed with the way this work has been carried out. The entire line was completed several weeks ahead of schedule and is now ready for commissioning of the press, which will take place during April.”