Yorkshire Web, the printing division of UK weekly the ‘Barnsley Chronicle’, is pioneering UV with what may be the country’s first newspaper installation.
US specialist Prime UV Systems commissioned the installation of its inline curing technology on the printer’s Goss Community press at the end of last month, “adding a new dimension” to the newspaper,” according to production supervisor Adrian Sanger (pictured inspecting samples).
“One of the main benefits of the new equipment is being able to print on glossy papers – full glossy publications or adding glossy covers to newsprint publications,” he says.
The system above one of the press’s four-high towers allows curing of UV inks on both sides of the web up to 35,000 cph.
Barnsley Chronicle chairman Sir Nicholas Hewitt says the whole company is excited about the new addition: “We’re very excited about opportunities, quality of work we can publish with the Prime UV equipment, and the markets we can now pursue.”
Sanger says the company also hopes to expand its commercial web printing business and product lines. “This will allow Yorkshire Web to gain new customers and eliminate the need for customers to send work to heatset print houses,” he says.
“The UV process rounds out Yorkshire Web’s ability to meet the needs of its customers. We can now print large volume UV glossy web, and/or coldset web. We consistently find that customers want to deal with one printer that knows their business from computer to plate, start to glossy finish.”
Beyond adding new customers, this UV installation reaffirms the company’s commitment to the environment. “UV printing cuts down on wasted paper, eliminates harmful air pollutants, and reduces Yorkshire Web’s carbon footprint with a 21st Century technological solution,” he says.
Another benefit of the system is that it eliminates any offsetting problems, are a major concern for traditional coldset web newspaper printers. “Traditional newspaper inks, especially when heavily applied, offset onto opposite pages of the printed work, and cause blurring and smudging,” says Elinor Midlik, president of Prime UV.
Headquartered in Carol Stream, Illinois, Prime has installed UV systems on presses throughout the world, including at Bairnsdale in Australia.