Goss Overcomes US Barrier For Berliner Format

Goss International said it is now offering a new solution to the most common barrier blocking adoption of the Berliner newspaper press format in North America.

Goss International said it is now offering a new solution to the most common barrier blocking adoption of the Berliner newspaper press format in North America.

Utilising an expanded lap adjustment range now available on Goss folders, the new Superberliner format accommodates standard advertising inserts produced on 21-inch presses whilst preserving the paper savings potential of the shorter-cut-off Berliner format and creating editorial and insert placement options, claimed Goss.

The Superberliner format allows off-centre folding of newspaper sections and as a result, a Berliner-size section can be folded with a long front portion to fully cover inserts, said the company.

The unbalanced fold also creates a premium position for an advertising insert headline, or an advance form headline to protrude over the corresponding short back portion of the main section.

Goss added that many European papers are adopting the Berliner format but North American papers have been hesitant because they include a high volume of standard-size pre-printed inserts, the vast majority of which are produced on 21-inch presses, explained John Richards, director of newspaper product management for Goss International.

He commented: "Allowing the 10.5-inch folded inserts to stick out of the top of a typical 9.25-inch folded Berliner newspaper jacket would make the package unattractive and hard to manage.

With this clever folding capability, we have turned this barrier in to a potential advantage for newspapers." Richards said the shorter back section of the Supererliner paper would offer publishers a chance to charge a premium for an insert that would be partially visible from the back of the paper.

Alternatively, publishers could also reverse the direction of an advance form, making its header visible above the short section.

Superberliner folding capabilities are now optional for all Goss presses available in Berliner cut-offs, including Colorliner, Flexible Printing System (FPS), Global Newsliner, Mainstream and Uniliner models.

The straight/collect or straight-only Goss folders can produce any format between conventional Berliner and Superberliner products and they are motorised for quick change-overs and precise lap adjustments, added the company.

In addition to fully covering inserts from the front, the unbalanced fold makes Superberliner newspapers comparable in appearance to typical broadsheet papers when placed on news stand display racks.

Richards said paper savings with the shorter-cut-off Berliner format is appealing to newspapers and many readers prefer the convenience and modern feel of the smaller size.

A typical Berliner press with an 18.5-inch cut-off is said to provide 12 per cent savings in newsprint when compared with a 21-inch cut-off press and 16 per cent savings when compared with a 22-inch cut-off machine.

"Switching from a 21-inch press to a Berliner format would deliver an annual savings of more than US$800,000 in newsprint costs for a paper with a circulation of 100,000 copies and an average of 72 pages," according to Richards.

Presses with the shorter Berliner cut-off typically run five per cent -10 per cent faster than presses with 21-inch or 22-inch cutoffs, reducing print windows or potentially the number of presses required.

Goss said that it conducted research with several North American publishers and industry experts regarding the Berliner format and the Superberliner option.

The results encouraged the company to move forward with the engineering changes to its folders to gain the Superberliner capacity.

Richards commented: "We have considerable experience with Berliner cutoff Goss presses and folders installed in Europe.

The nearly unanimous consensus among North American publishers that we talked to is that the format would be appealing in this region if there was a way to overcome the problem of accommodating the 21-inch inserts.".

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