British Printers Buy Tensor Equipment

By: E&P Staff North American singlewide-press manufacturer Tensor has sold four new printing towers and a heavy-duty jaw folder to several printers in the U.K. through its British agent, Techprint Sales Ltd.

Independent newspaper printer Sharman & Co., in Peterborough, has purchased two T-400BE fou-high towers, which will be integrated with an existing Albert press to increase color capacity. The shaftless-drive towers are fitted with bearers on the plate and blanket cylinders and a helical gear drive design. The shop's clients include the region's major newspaper publishers, as well as independent local and specialist publishers.

To the north, the Barnsley Chronicle Co. is adding new equipment to add to its existing Tensor installation. The publisher of paid and free weeklies and other local publications will install two additional T-1400 four-high towers and one H-50 jaw folder, which replaces a Goss SSC folder. With the new equipment, the company can print a total of six four-over-four webs of a possible eight.

Tensor's sales abroad continue to be strong, according to Don Gustafson, the company's president. "More than 60% of our business is export, due to a combination of the weak dollar, and pockets of strong economic activity in certain countries," he explains.

Business in the U.S. also has been good, but mostly on the commercial side. "We've seen a real decline in newspaper activity in the last two years," Gustafson says, adding that newspaper publishers who are looking at presses are more interested in commercial or semi-commercial equipment.