U.K.’s Guardian reaches U.S. with digital edition

Although the introduction of color is a relatively new addition to digital newspaper printing, some dailies have offered black-and-white digital editions for years.

Case in point, Carlstadt, N.J.-based Global Document Solutions, which since 2003 has been printing 300 full broadsheet black-and-white copies of The Guardian nightly on an Oce 9210 wide format machine.

Global Document Solutions also operates facilities in New York City and Hayward, Calif.

“We print it every night,” said John Slaney, chief operating officer. “We print the full broadsheet so we’re really duplicating what it looks like in the U.K.”

The copies are picked up and distributed around New York City.

“People are getting that day’s paper instead of yesterday’s paper,” Slaney said.

Slaney said there was a large demand for The Guardian out of market and he is also working with some other newspapers that are interested in following The Guardian’s model.

He said some newspapers also want to print newspapers for distribution on planes. Los Angeles-based O’Neil Data Systems already prints a number of Australian newspapers for distribution on Qantas Airlines flights using Oce machines.

Slaney said he can see definite value for newspapers adopting these models.

“This gives flexibility for targeted ads,” he said. “ Ads running in London could be redirected here so that they are more pertinent and I think there is tremendous value in that — targeted marketing and messaging and at a smaller size run.”

Global Document Solutions worked with a mill to create the blend of newsprint that allows it to print newspapers on the digital press. The shop uses Hunkeler finishing equipment.

— Tara McMeekin