With a long-term lease signed for its home in the new Vestby logistics park, south of Oslo, Schibsted Norway has turned attention to the press equipment that will go there.

Central is a Goss Colorliner taken from a larger installation, but in a reimagined modern layout with seven towers and two folders in a single-level design.

Schibsted is adding the latest automation in a project which to secure future productivity for what will still be Norway’s largest print production plant.

Press elements come from the 22-tower, five-folder line currently in production in downtown Nydalen, with manroland Goss responsible for relocation of the equipment and mechanical modifications, and DCOS to retrofit the Honeywell control system and Bosch Rexroth drive, as well as providing a new closed-loop inspection system.

Schibsted chief executive Bjarne Andersen is enthusiastic about being able to invest in the future of printed products. “The new press design with the added automation will give us sustainable and efficient production capability,” he says. “With our long-term partners DCOS and MGWS joining forces to make this project a success, I feel we got the best solution we could ask for.”

The new location provides 30,500 m2 of space, and will bring together several Schibsted wholly and partly-owned subsidiaries, with Schibsted Trykk able to work more efficiently with HeltHjem Netthandel and Schibsted Distribusjon.

The print and logistics facility – with a clear sustainability profile, certified BREEAM ‘very good’ – will have a large solar cell plant covering the entire roof and large parts of the facade. HeltHjem is one of Norway’s fastest growing logistics companies, growing in the last year to take 15 per cent of the the package market, and the building provides for further expansion.

As the new building is prepared, so is work in preparation for the retrofit and the press relocation, with plans for it to be operational in Vestby by the end of the year.

DCOS chief executive Mattias Andersson said they were “off to a good start” on a huge project with many considerations. “With several Honeywell retrofits accomplished over the years, we have developed a strong technical base, lots of experience and many creative solutions for these projects.

“Cooperation with Ian Buckley and his team in Preston is really an advantage to the project, their in-depth experience in the Colorliner press is very comprehensive.”

Schibsted Trykk had already installed DCOS’ systems on one of the Nydalen Colorliners. Closed-loop density, colour register and cut-off controls were added in 2018, with new page-pack controls for digital inking and presetting following.