E.W. Scripps-Owned Newspapers Upgrade Presses with manroland web systems Inc.

Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers in Port St. Lucie, FL, and KNS Media Inc., owner of Knoxville News Sentinel in Knoxville, TN, have purchased a several upgrades to control system hardware and software, print.network Press Monitor (PPM), and other monitoring and sensor components for both of their REGIOMAN Presses.

Installation of the upgrade for Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers has recently concluded, and includes the integration of updated PECOM control system functions, such as Waste Gate Control to reduce substrate waste, improved power back-up and data storage, and improved speed and accuracy of diagnostics.

Bill Reiser, printservices Consultant for manroland web systems Inc. in North America stated, “manroland web systems was able to offer Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers and Knoxville News Sentinel the latest advancements available for diagnostics and controls. With this upgrade, they will see a significant difference in the speed and accuracy of monitoring their print operations. With the new hardware and software, they can secure uninterrupted production by assuring the latest technology is in place.”

The new hardware and software upgrades not only improve reliability, power consumption, processing speed, and diagnostic accuracy, but they also eliminate the need for backup systems, and are completely secure behind a custom firewall.

The scope of the upgrade and retrofit process at Knoxville News Sentinel will replace old web break detectors, adapt and upgrade controllers & wiring, and includes a training program for the pressroom crew. The retrofits to the REGIOMAN press were completed in Q4 of 2013.

“Our goal with the retrofit of the press at Knoxville News Sentinel was to give them security and reliability by proactively replacing original components with current technology,” stated Mark Sievers, Service Director for manroland web systems Inc. “We put together a custom solution specifically targeting the most critical areas, and then made sure the scheduling of the upgrades would have no effect on their current production schedule.”

The upgrade to currently manufactured technology will not only secure the supply of spare parts, but also improve diagnostic speed and accuracy of the press. All retrofitted components and sensors will be integrated into the REGIOMAN PECOM control system, resulting in significantly reduced downtime.

Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers serve residents located along the Treasure Coast and The Gold Coast of southeast Florida, printing The Stuart News, The Indian River Press Journal, and The St. Lucie News-Tribune. Treasure Coast Newspapers also publishes weeklies, as well as business and lifestyle publications. Knoxvile News Sentinel, with its state-of-the-art printing facility, has served as the community as a center of communications in Knoxville for over 100 years. Along with its growing number of websites and special events, the KNS Media Group also prints three other daily newspapers and has a partnership with 15 other commercial print clients in the Eastern Tennessee area. Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers and KNS Media Group are business units of the E. W. Scripps Company.