Spanish newspaper printer scoops first Oce JetStream

A newspaper printer in the city of Avila, Spain, has installed the world’s first Oce JetStream digital inkjet colour press for the production of newspapers.

There are more than 30 JetStreams in operation around the world but the lucrative newspaper market has proved a tough nut to crack, until now.

Imcodavila is a newspaper outsource facility that prints six daily newspapers and 20 Spanish titles a month. Previously, the papers were only produced on an offset fleet of manroland Uniset presses and Agfa computer-to-plate lines, but the addition of the JetStream gives Imcodavila both offset and digital capabilities.

According to Luciano Monedero, managing director of Imcodavila, the company has been interested in digital production for years, but it was a matter of waiting for technology that compared to offset. He believes that digital printing will become a greater part of the business.

“The press is currently being used to print foreign newspapers to accommodate expatriates and foreign tourists to Spain, which previously were available only late in the day and after being shipped in,” Monedero said.

Pictured: (From Left) UK graphic arts programming manager, Paul Krisson, Imcodavila MD, Luciano Monedero, Imcodavila commercial director, Antonio Calderon, and  Océ director, business development, inkjet technology, Robert Koeckeis, standing in front of the Océ JetStream 2200.

After recently installing the press, Monedero reports that all is going smoothly and Imcodavila’s team of 50 staff are all pleased with the machine. “The JetStream is much easier to run than the offset presses,” he said.

“Eventually, we expect all operators to be able to work both the offset and digital presses, as well as our mailroom equipment. We want complete flexibility.”