Two more publishers are opening up new business markets and providing an important service for local communities in SA by printing international newspaper editions in Johannesburg through global company Oc'e`s revolutionary method of digital printing via the Web.
Oc'e Digital Newspaper Network is using its high-speed digital machine printing up to 1 000 copies an hour for the Dutch-based daily newspaper De Telegraaf and Australia`s Sydney Morning Herald. This revolutionary new way of production means both newspapers will be available to readers on the same day of publication. They will look and feel the same as their traditionally printed worldwide counterpart and will be on sale as newsstands open.
The Sydney Morning Herald, which began printing in Europe for the first time last summer at Oc'e`s site at Stroma in west London, and De Telegraaf will be printing in time for the Cricket World Cup. They have been bowled over by the success of Oc'e`s method of producing newspapers that has received widespread praise senior figures in the printing and publishing industry.
A unique feature will involve providing up-to-date news and sports reports - such as stories from the Cricket World Cup - to Dutch or Australians living in SA who either subscribe or buy the newspapers on the newsstands. For the duration of the Cricket World Cup, players from the Dutch and Australian teams will be able to catch up on home news in their home newspaper, and read about their own exploits, on the same day as their friends and families at home.
Rolf Meester, new business manager at De Telegraaf, said: "This is an important development for us. We chose the Oc'e solution because it is a first-class product and the development is very promising. We are looking forward to establishing ourselves in the market. SA has historical roots with our country where a lot of citizens go on holiday and are involved in business."
The Sydney Morning Herald will provide the newspaper for a large expat base, business people and tourists who want quality coverage of what is happening in Australia and elsewhere. Tom Burton, executive editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, said: "We will be pulling out all the stops to ensure that cricketers and supporters at the World Cup in SA will be kept up to speed with news back home in Australia, thanks to the distribution network. We are always looking at innovative steps that test new publishing markets and technologies."
This way of printing newspapers to an international audience at remote locations- via a high-speed digital data distribution network - was pioneered by Oc'e which opened the world`s first short-run digital commercial print site for newspapers in London almost two years ago. The Johannesburg print site opened in February last year with Ince as the print partner.
Alban Atkinson, joint managing director of Ince, Oc'e`s print partner Johannesburg, said: "This is an important development of the printing business following on from the success of the Financial Times that has increased its circulation in SA. There is a lot of potential in the local newspaper market and we are delighted to be able to contribute to the local economy."
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The Oc'e group markets an extensive portfolio of superior products and services for professional document management. Oc'e helps businesses and organisations all over the world manage and exchange information effectively. Solutions from Oc'e comprise printers, scanners, copiers and software as well as the related imaging supplies. Oc'e also provides after-sale service, plus consulting services for designing the solutions and integrating them into our customers` infrastructure. In 2002 the Oc'e group achieved sales revenues of 3.2 billion euro. The group employs around 23 000 people worldwide. Oc'e products are marketed in 80 countries, and the group operates its own companies in 30.
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