The South Korean Hankyung Media Group, which prints "The Korea Economic Daily", is investing in a comprehensive newspaper printing project with manroland Goss. The long-established media company opted for the highest print quality, the fastest production speeds, and state-of-the-art automation. At the heart of the newly built printing plant are two highly automated COLORMAN e:line presses that will supply the newsprint market in South Korea with high-quality print products in the future.

• Hankyung Media Group sets a strong signal for the future of the Korean newspaper market with the new COLORMAN e:line presslines
• State-of-the-art automation technology is the foundation for efficient production of subcontracted printing orders
• The COLORMAN e:line technology raises the quality standard in the Korean newspaper industry to a new level

At the new production site in Bupyeong National Industrial Complex in Incheon, a new state-of-the-art print production is being built on a 3,700 m² site. The presses will be equipped with a very high degree of automation and maximum production output to ensure productivity and top print quality.

After signing the contract in September 2022, Mr. Hyun, Executive Director, is convinced that: "With the acquisition of the COLORMAN e:line, we will have the most powerful and automated production line for daily newspapers in Korea. A major focus of this project is also that the 60th anniversary edition in 2024 will have the best print quality of all newspapers printed in Korea. With these features, the production line naturally also offers many attractive advantages for contract printing orders from the Korean newspaper market.”

Heiko Ritscher, Vice President International Sales & Service at manroland Goss adds: "Two partners with similar goals are working together on this project. The management and project team of "Hankyung" with a business model that, in addition to high-quality printing of its own daily newspaper, also focuses on becoming the largest newspaper contract printing company in Korea in the next few years; along with manroland Goss, an established supplier and service provider for web offset printing presses on the global market, which is clearly focused on further consolidating and expanding this leading position. This as a clear commitment to the future of the printed daily newspaper as a news channel.”

High-tech and high-speed times two made in Augsburg

The investment is characterized by clear project goals. Two manroland Goss COLORMAN e:line presses will print the high-circulation business newspaper "The Korea Economic Daily". The printing presses each consist of six printing units, six reel splicers, two folders and a comprehensive automation package. The reliable long-term service availability provides strong investment protection.

High-tech and high-speed are standard for the "e:line": the production of one system is designed for an output of 95,000 copies per hour. This means that the new Hankyung Media Group printing plant has a total production potential of 190,000 copies per hour. This corresponds to a production output of up to one million newspapers per night. The aim is to achieve cost-effectiveness with reduced unit costs for the production of large circulations, as well as smaller subcontracted circulations – thanks to the high level of automation.

COLORMAN e:line – convincing and powerful in daily operation

Before signing the contract, a delegation of experts from South Korea had already had the opportunity to inspect similar printing presses. "The fact that we were able to demonstrate the automation functions and the performance potential when visiting new COLORMAN e:line presses with the project group here in Germany certainly contributed to the success in this major project. The success story of the COLORMAN e:line continues in the Asian market," says Alwin Stadler, Deputy Vice President Sales at manroland Goss.

Technically sophisticated, highly automated, and efficient – Hankyung Media Group and manroland Goss making competitive newspaper production in South Korea ready for the future.