At the same time, Tensor said it’s repositioning its T-500 press, upgrading the model’s capacity from 50,000 copies per hour to 60,000 copies per hour and equipping the machine with an enhanced couple shaftless drive system.

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Both models can be equipped with spray dampening, automatic register control, remote inking and ink leveler systems.

Ifra said the four-day show drew more than 8,800 visitors from 82 countries, viewing products and services from 335 exhibitors.

In other developments:

•Agfa debuted its Advantage N violet platesetter, which is available in four models. The manual-load, semi-automatic feed and stack loading versions can produce 75-100 plates per hour, while the fully automatic model — which can hold up to 1,000 plates — can produce 100-220 pph, according to Agfa (see related story, below).

•Atex sold Prestige content management software to Russian publisher Media 3 and Ukraine publisher Segodnya. Atex also said its apps now support Adobe’s AIR functionality.

•Ferag introduced a new offline inserting system, the EasySert, aimed at small and medium-sized newspapers and papers with high-volume supplement requirements. The EasySert combines the firm’s JetFeeder hopper, FlyStream precollecting system and UTR conveyor into a single system capable of inserting up to 25,000 copies per hour, the firm said. The machine can be expanded up to a maximum of 40 hopper stations and comes with Intelligent Repair Control software to ensure materials are inserted correctly. Additionally, Ferag rolled out a front-page label advertising product, MemoStick, and a Web site, www.memostick.ch, aimed at allowing customers to plan, design and book entire MemoStick advertising campaigns.

•Fujifilm launched Brillia LH-NN2, a thermal newspaper plate designed for production with 830-nm-laser-diode-equipped platesetters. The plate is capable of up to 300,000 impressions, and provides high sensitivity for extended laser life, wide exposure latitude for stability and repeatability, long developer life for economy and minimal environmental impact and Fuji’s MultiGrain technology for reduced ink usage and improved ink and water balance, the company said.

•Goss International Corp. sold a combined Uniliner and Universal hybrid press to Moscow Newspaper Printing Plant. The press will include two doublewide towers, one singlewide tower, two folders and a Goss Ecocool dryer. It will be capable of operating as a unified press using either of the two folders, or as two separate presses, and will allow MNPP to print in 100 percent color for the first time. The press vendor also said it’s recently begun installing a Uniliner press at French newspaper publisher G.H.M. The 4-by-1 machine, the first such-configured Uniliner in the country, will replace three Goss Gazette presses and support the publisher’s conversion from broadsheet to tab.

•IdabWamac introduced the DPU depalletizing unit, which permits automatic feeding of hoppers directly from pallets. It also said it sold a postpress system to El Pais in Uruguay. The system consists of three belt conveyors and three stacking lines built around TS 800 stackers.

•Krause announced enhanced speeds for its LS Jet 350 violet platesetter and demoed its X-Jet platesetter, designed for use with the Koenig & Bauer AG’s Cortina waterless press. Additionally, Krause said it will install two LS Jet platesetters at Print Styria in Graz, Austria.

•Manroland touted its One Touch newspaper production strategy, setting the state for technologies and products designed to automate printing. Additionally, Manroland said its APL automatic plate loading technology will be rolled out by several German newspapers before year-end while three others, including Mannheimer Morgen, will deploy APL in 2009.

•Muller Martini featured its CoLiner pregathering system for the ProLiner inserter line. CoLiner allows operators fast access to all of the system’s components, Muller Martini said.

•PPI Media upgraded workflow software at German newspaper publisher Saarbrucker Zeitung and it also sold upgraded ppi apps to CanWest newspapers. Saarbrucker Zeitung’s deployment includes AdPag, AdMan, AdCept and ProPag. The apps will go into production in 2009. Finally, ppi sold PagPlan, its page layout module, to The (Toronto) Globe & Mail.

•The PrintCity Alliance said it will launch a study examining the ultra-wide web offset press market (112.2 inch-wide presses) next year and will also begin investigating issues affecting magazine publishing in 2010. The group has also made available its VAPoN Value Added Printing of Newspapers Resource Book via its Internet shop www.printcity.de/shop.

•ProImage released NewsWay 5.2, an upgrade to its flagship workflow software. The company added more than a dozen new features, including 8-up imposition support and center referenced plate layout support. The firm also showcased upgrades to its OnColor Eco 1.2 ink optimization software and OnColor 1.2 color image processing software.

•RIMA-System displayed its RS-36 Indexing Stacker and RS 820 Rotary Knife Trimmer. The stacker can handle as many as 120,000 copies per hour while the trimmer can handle head-, foot- and three-side trimming.

•Roxen Internet Software notched the first U.S. customer for its Roxen Editorial Portal and Roxen CMS. Shaw Newspapers said it will use the software to support its editorial management across more than 40 printed and 20 online publications.

•Smart phone diagnostics support was announced by ABB (MPS Insight Mobile) and Q.I. Press Controls (IQMobile), allowing newspapers to track the performance of these vendor’s systems via iPhones and other PDAs.

Meantime, Eidos Media, Tera Digital Publishing (see story, page 14) and WoodWing Software demonstrated new features supporting mobile phones and other outlets. Eidos also said it sold its Methode editorial app to French newspaper publishers La Parisien-Anjourd’hui and Les Echos. German publishers Rheinische Post and Westdeuetsche Zeitung.