A German publisher is bucking consolidation trends by pulling out of a print partnership and spending $27 million to set up its own plant.

Badisches Tagblatt in Baden Baden in the country's southwest will install a compact double-width  KBA Commander CT as part of the investment.

A newly-formed subsidiary expects to have the press in production by mid next year.

Managing director Wolfgang Hoffarth says he is "thoroughly convinced" that printed regional newspapers with qualitative journalism and appealing layouts have a sound future "even in an ever more manifold multimedia world.

" With this in mind, the publishing house’s owners opted to strengthen our core business by broadening our footing with our own printing plant situated near the publishing company."

Until now the Badisches Tagblatt's print products have been produced by co-partner, Greiserdruck in Rastatt, which prints on a anilox KBA Colora commissioned in 1999. But Hoffarth says  building and site conditions did not allow the development there.

The KBA Commander CT will print the 34,000 daily (85,000 Saturdays) Badisches Tagblatt and its four local editions, plus two free sheets – of 164,000 and 129,000 copies – and other periodicals.

The Berliner-sized Commander CT  will have three towers and a KF 5 folder, and print at up to 90,000 cph. Three Pastomat reelstands are embedded in an automatic reel-handling system.

Automation features include colour and cut-off register controls, inking unit and blanket washing systems, and pre-former web guiding systems. Three turner bars, a folder superstructure with two formers, a half-cover guide and a variable 'Zip’n’Buy' perforation unit all ensure maximum production flexibility.