Northern Netherlands major NDC Grafisch Bedrijf will update its six-tower Geoman as part of a programme to stabilise quality and save materials.

The Leeuwarden press update will be based on a complete automation package from QI Press Controls, also based in the Netherlands.

NDC Grafisch Bedrijf operations director Henk Pronk says the company had a “long-time desire” to renew and expand existing automation with closed-loop colour control. "Such automation is nowadays part of the standard equipment of a modern newspaper printing plant," he says.

IDS-3D cameras on the manroland press will measure and control colour density, colour register and damp with added functionalities controlling fan-out and pre-setting, while mRC-3D cameras will control the cut-off and side-lay register. The waste valve will also be automatically controlled, minimising waste.

The print site – which became a member of Mediahuis at the beginning of the year – is the last in the group to be automated.

Pictured (from left): press planning coordinator Paul Mutgeert, maintenance manager Arjan Rozema, Erwin van Rossem (QIPC), Henk Pronk and Steven Heijstek (QIPC)