New press for NCBR means new size, higher technology

There’s been a lot of discussion about the “death of print” lately. Pundits, especially those in the electronic media, want us to believe that it’s merely a matter of time until no one will have any interest in reading black marks on paper.

To quote JRR Tolkein, today is not that day. In fact, I’m happy to announce that the Northern Colorado Business Report and its sister publications Wyoming Business Report and Boulder County Business Report will soon be printed on one of the most sophisticated presses in the nation.

The Lehman Printing Co., part of the corporation that produces the daily Longmont Times-Call newspaper as well as printing the Business Reports, has recently completed construction of a brand-new printing plant in Berthoud that employs 78 workers. The Lehman Printing Center is a 60,000 square foot facility that encompasses a print shop, pre- and post-press operations, warehouse and pressroom, all within an energy-efficient, computer-controlled environment.

The heart of the printing plant is the press, formally known as a Manroland Uniset 75, that was built in Plauen, Germany. Its installation in Berthoud was a major undertaking in its own right. Its four 80-ton towers, two folders and four reel stands combine for a total weight of 267 tons – 543,493 pounds – supported by 52 caissons embedded in the eight-foot-thick press pad and extending 30 feet into bedrock. It stands 22 feet at its highest point and can handle two separate print jobs at the same time.

The 75 in its name indicates that it can print up to 75,000 impressions per hour. The entire NCBR press run will be on and off the behemoth in about 15 minutes, according to the Lehman team.

What this all means will be obvious with our May 22 issue. The first thing that readers will notice is a slightly smaller page size – about a quarter-inch all around – which will help us reduce the amount of paper we use. We’ve made some minor adjustments to our layout so that we can maintain the current point size on the type in our stories, especially for readers of a certain age like myself.

The only other visible change is that we will now have the option to be able to print color on every page of the paper and section B special inserts, for a more vibrant and attractive look throughout the publication.

Advertisers should have already received information about how the new size will affect their camera-ready artwork. Any Business Report advertising account executive can also explain the changes.

Take some time with our next issue and let us know what you think. And a special thanks to all our loyal subscribers to continue to help keep print alive.

Jeff Nuttall is publisher of the Northern Colorado Business Report. He can be contacted at jnuttall@ncbr.com or 970-221-5400, ext. 201.

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