Heidelberg announced at Ifra that it was ready to accept orders for a new triple-width newspaper press - the Tristream.


It features the same gapless blanket technology as the Mainstream, but has six pages across the cylinder as well as two around.


Heidelberg sales manager newspaper presses for the UK and Eire, John Coad, said: "The advantages of a triple-width newspaper press have been considered for quite some time. But its only possible due to the gapless blanket system - otherwise thered be too much vibration when the blanket gaps met."


The Tristream can produce 50% more product with each cylinder revolution than a standard double-width press. Heidelberg claimed that newspaper printers would be able to produce 80,000 copies per hour but with a third fewer towers and pasters, combined with a 50% increase in web strength to reduce the risk of breaks.


Heidelberg also said that two IPS Group companies, Rotosud and Rotopicardie, had signed a contract for two Mainstream presses. The identical presses will have four towers, 28 couples and six pasters.


Also at Ifra, MAN Roland launched the PECOM 2000 production network system. The latest version has been updated from a UNIX to a LINUX operating system. MAN Roland chairman Gerd Finkbeiner said that the company remained committed to its PrintCity partners.


IIR, the organiser of Newstec 2001, which will be held in Brighton from 21 to 23 May, said that 90 companies have so far contracted to take stands there.


Story by John Davies