| Web
offset printers are making big bets that they can save newspapers
and profit. Add AFL Web to the list of web offset printing
firms, including, Southwest Offset and Transcontinental
Printing, aggressively moving to add newspaper production
to its commercial product mix.
The Voorhees, NJ-based firm will complete the second phase
of a multimillion-dollar press investment when it adds the
remaining 8 of 20 4-color Manugraph DGM towers this summer.
The first 12 started up last summer at the firm’s
new 150,000-sq.ft. plant. When completed, the two facilities
will house nine presslines spanning more than 160 singlewide
printing units — the vast majority from MDGM —
as well as associated postpress, mailing, distribution and
prepress equipment, reports a case study on the firm in
Newspapers & Technologies.
The 35-year-old family-owned firm already prints five daily
newspapers from its two plants–totaling 265,000-sq.ft.–including
The Financial Times, Women's Wear Daily and Metro's New
York and Philadelphia editions. And more papers are in the
pipeline. In January, the 350-employee company added two
Muller Martini inserting systems.
Some of the funding for the new equipment came from DFW
Capital Partners, Teaneck, NJ, which acquired a controlling
interest in AFL last July.
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