Johnston Press reaps benefits of Goss facelift

Johnston Press 40m upgrade to its Goss presses at Northampton, Peterborough, Scarborough and Falkirk has accounted for a 2.8% increase in advertising revenues.

We are seeing the benefits coming through now with our improved colour capability, said Stuart Paterson, finance director of the Edinburgh-based regional newspaper publisher.

The company also invested in eight Agfa Polaris platesetters, which are installed at its Peterborough, Portsmouth and Northampton plants. Paterson said there would be further CTP investment in 2003, with Leeds earmarked as the next plant to go CTP.

Johnston Press hopes to save 9m next year through centralising the purchasing and administration functions of the acquired Regional Independent Media (RIM).