On 2 June prominent German publishing house M. DuMont Schauberg (MDS) in Cologne rang in a new era in newspaper production with the official inauguration of a six-wide KBA Cortina. In his opening speech Professor Alfred Neven DuMont, editor and publisher of the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, described the move as an “investment in the future.”
He subsequently joined Christian DuMont Schütte, executive vice-president of the M. DuMont Schauberg media group, to fire up the eco-friendly waterless press. Despite his advanced years, veteran publisher Dieter Schütte was also present at an event which, in the current recession, has become something of a rarity.
The investment package, which alongside the innovative KBA press also includes new platemaking kit (Kodak, Marks-3-zet, Nela), mailroom technology (Ferag), buildings and infrastructure, totalled some €28m ($39.2m). As Christian DuMont Schütte pointed out: “That’s a lot of money at a time when many newspapers are not doing too well.” Commenting on the current economic scenario, Professor Neven DuMont said: “While this is big day for us, it is also a day to reflect on the fact that publishing houses should be happy if they close the year without sliding into the red.”
176 years of press technology from Würzburg KBA executive vice-president for web press sales, Christoph Müller, remarked on M. DuMont Schauberg’s uniquely longstanding association with Koenig & Bauer. “New press installations have been a leitmotiv linking our two companies throughout our histories. For us, the fact that DuMont Schauberg, one of the oldest media players in Germany, has honoured us with its custom for the past 176 years is a cause of great pride. Josef DuMont purchased his first cylinder press back in 1833, just 16 years after Koenig & Bauer was founded. Many more were to follow, and like the Cortina today, they were all at the bleeding edge of technology.”
Don’t talk print down Nor did Christoph Müller duck the current debate on the future of printed newspapers: “Newspapers and magazines are feeling the impact of younger generations’ changing media habits, diminishing ad revenues and shrinking circulations. But self-appointed media prophets, some of them even in the publishing sector, who claim that ‘the future of newspapers is online’ or ‘investment in heavy plant is no longer relevant’ often fail to recognise that most newspaper publishers still generate over 90% of their sales and profits with the printed product. So we may be forgiven for asking whether industry players who repeatedly and publicly express doubt in the future of their core product, and focus on cutting costs by culling editorial staff and dispensing with investment in new technology, are not actively contributing towards their own demise.” He continued: “M. DuMont Schauberg is a laudable exception, investing not just in cutting-edge technology but also in newspapers as a medium. While others sell up or trim their print resources, M. DuMont Schauberg is systematically expanding its position in the German newspaper market, but without neglecting television, radio and the internet. I can only congratulate you on this corporate strategy.”
Alongside a number of in-house titles – the Kölner Stadtanzeiger, Kölnische Rundschau and the Express – MDS also owns an east German title, the Mitteldeutsche Zeitung in Halle, which it acquired shortly after reunification. There followed a majority stake in the Frankfurter Rundschau, a shareholding in the Haaretz group in Israel and, a few months ago, the purchase from the Mecom group of the Berliner Zeitung, Berliner Kurier and Hamburger Morgenpost.
Big output, small footprint Engineered for a maximum web width of 1,890mm (74.4in) and sporting automatic plate changers, the Cortina 6/2 is nonetheless exceptionally compact. It prints MDS’s in-house titles and a raft of other products at a speed of 80,000 full-colour copies per hour, with a possible maximum of 48 pages in the Berliner format and 96 pages tabloid.
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