Goss homes in on first FPS sale

Goss is to add fully-automatic plate changing to the demo model of its Flexible Printing System (FPS) newspaper press by July, with semi-automatic plate changing going live next month.

The firm is also on the verge of selling its first FPS installation, which is unique for its three-section slide-apart tower and low height, to a major German press group.

The news came as the American-owned firm demonstrated the 90,000cph press, which was first revealed at Drupa, at an event last week.

A group of journalists from the UK, the US, Norway, Germany and Australia witnessed the world's only existing FPS tower producing a 16pp full-colour newspaper at a speed of 90,070cph.

Shane Lancaster, Goss senior vice president and general manager of the Preston site, said that no deals had yet been struck with UK press groups for an installation of the press.

"But we're in talks with people all the time, and it has generated a lot of interest," he said.

He added that Goss was in discussions with a number of pre-press manufacturers over the possibility of developing direct imaging for the press.

Story by Josh Brooks