The order for DiamondSpirit 4x1 presses for the new Ebie plant follows an order for a similar press for the group’s Funabashi plant, due to be installed towards the middle of this year.

Asahi Shimbun, which has a daily circulation of more than eight million copies, was founded in Osaka in 1879, and the city remains a key area. The company decided to close its Nakanoshima plant following a redevelopment study of the area where its Osaka headquarters and plant are now located, and build a new flagship plant in Ebie.

It is also forming a joint venture with Nikkan Sports News West Japan and Toppan Printing, and the Ebie plants will also print ‘Nikkan Sports Shimbun’ as well as ‘Asahi Shimbun’. Nikkan Offset’s Toyonaka plant, where the paper is currently printed, is to close because of the age of its newspaper presses.

Mitsubishi says Asahi Shimbun looked seriously at a variety of different press models, including 4x2 presses from several manufacturers. Presses at the group’s Nakanoshima plant are from another maker. The five-press order follows evaluation of a number of factors including savings in plate cost and start-up waste from the 4x1 format.

DiamondSpirit presses are in use for ‘Nikkan Sports Shimbun’ and ‘Shin-Nihonkai Shimbun’.

The new presses for Ebie are rated at 80,000 cph and comprise ten 4/4 tower printing units, 14 2/1 tower printing units, five 2:2 double rotary folders and 24 load-bearing-type reelstands. Press controls include ink and various press presetting functions, automatic dual web tension control and colour registration.

The first press is to start production in September 2012, with the project completed during the following December.