manroland is claiming a breakthrough in the Indian language market with the sale of its second Cromoman 4-1 press into eastern India.

Bengali-language newspaper Bartaman Patrika has signed for a three-tower version of the double-width one-around press, which will be installed in Kolkata in West Bengal.

manroland India managing director Sudeep Bhattacharjee says the deal will help counter ideas that the German-built press is not suitable for Indian regional newspapers.

"The deal is very important for manroland web systems as it signals our entry into the flourishing Indian language newspaper market," he says. "This helps assuage the feeling that manroland web systems is an expensive piece of machinery, not suitable for the regional newspaper market in India".

Following last year's success stories, he described the order as "yet another breakthrough".

Founded in 1984, the daily Bartaman Patrika is the second-most widely circulated Bengali newspaper in India, and has simultaneous editions for Kolkata, Siliguri, Burdwan and Midnapore, published from each of the West Bengali towns.

Sudeep Bhattacharjee says the Indian language newspaper market is growing at a CAGR of more than eight per cent: "Today nine out of ten top dailies in India are players in the regional space," he says. "manroland web systems is proud to be associated with Bartaman and wants to be its partner in success for the times to come."

Designed especially for the requirements of the Indian market, the Cromoman 4-1 is a modular high-speed press for run lengths between 250,000-400,000 copies per night, with features including variable web width, tolerance of power fluctuations and the ability to run smoothly on Indian newsprint without web severance. The company says it will fit into existing buildings and does not require air conditioning

The three-tower Bartaman press - which has been has been sold with a service level agreement - will have automation systems including manroland's PECOM-X control system, and will be capable of a variety of printing possibilities including 24-pages or a combined 16-pages plus eight pages.

manroland web has installed 27 high speed newspaper presses in India in recent years and one commercial press.

"Our technology can perfectly reach the high requirements of the fast growing Indian market, which is marked by numerous high circulation print products," says Sudeep Bhattacharjee. He says this can be "perfectly realised" as a result of the manroland-owned market organisation in India, with locations in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

Pictured at the contract signing (from left): Bartyaman managing director Abhijeet Bhattacharjee, senios maintenance manager Amal Roy, finance director Amit Roy, AGM &CS Subhojit Kr. Datta, and sales general manager Subir Pauland Sudeep Bhattacharjee of manroland India