Swiss vendor Ferag is also supporting the publisher's newspapers in education programme, with chief executive Jürg Möckli handing over a cheque for MYR 250,000 (US$58,000) to Star chief executive and general managing director Wong Chun Wai CEO in support of the Star-NiE programme. With the goal of inspiring young people to read newspapers, the schools programme also helps children and young people learn English.
The new mailroom technology will equip the two printing centres with four inserting lines, compensating stackers and bundle evacuation technology.
The 15-year-old system in Shah Alam near Kuala Lumpur will be replaced with two MultiSert inserting systems, one EasySert inserting line, MultiStack compensating stackers and bundle evacuation system, and Ferag will also deliver an EasySert inserting line with MultiStack compensating stackers plus a bundle evacuation system to the Penang printing centre, 300 kilometres to the north.
Star technical services senior general manager Mohamed Hassan bin Mohamed Ali says the project provides important development opportunities for the future. Space-saving design was another key factor: "The change will free up space in both printing centres, which Star Media Group may use for technical upgrades relating to new business models," he says.
Inserting and production lines will be connected to existing components in Shah Alam and Penang, with Star initially replacing key components that are crucial to meeting future demands on production capacity.
Star Media Group publishes the English-language daily newspapers The Star and Sunday Star, with production split between Shah Alam (250,000 copies) and Penang (70,000 copies).
Pictured (from left): Wong Chun Wai and Jürg Möckli (centre, with at left) Soh Sze Jean (Star general counsel); Marcel Binder (Ferag sales director), Michael Büchel (WRH Global Asia general manager) (and right) Mohamed Hassan bin Mohamed Ali, Yeo Eng Siang (Star general manager, corporate office) and Cindy Gee (Star finance reporting manager)