Malaysian daily The Star took ANP back to its roots tonight with a plant visit and welcome dinner where its own story began, writes Peter Coleman.
ASEAN Newspaper Printers is holding its annual delegate conference in Penang this week, close to where Star began as a regional newspaper 46 years ago next week.
At the Star Northern Hub, senior regional manager (operations) David Yeoh said “being established doesn’t exclude us from the challenges of modern publishing”. Stakeholders required operation with less resources and shorter timelines, but with no reduction in quality.
“If this is a sunset industry, we aim to prolong the sunset and look for a new sunrise,” he told delegates.
Visitors from all over the region – and the world – were welcomed to the Star Northern Hub with tropical rain failing to dampen spirits ahead of the two-day event.
Delegates toured the plant, opened in 2002 and anchored by Goss Colorliner 80 and Universal presses, twin Krause platelines and a buffered Müller Martini mailroom system.
The business programme starts tomorrow with an official opening by the governor of Penang, and addresses from local and overseas speakers. Normah Osman will discuss implications of the impending ASEAN Economic Community, Fairfax Media printing and distribution director Bob Lockley will share lessons from SWUG Australia, of which he is president, and Goss Preston general manager Shane Lancaster will update on newspaper technology.
Breakout sessions which follow cover prepress, press, maintenance and management. The ANP annual dinner is being held on Wednesday evening.