COLDSET PRINTING

Coldset printing is a form of offset printing in which the ink dries by being absorbed into the paper. This is in contrast to heatset printing, in which the printed pages must be run through dryers to evaporate the solvents and set the inks. Coldset printing is used on uncoated papers like newsprint. The advantages of coldset printing are that it is economical, fast, and energy-efficient.

How are we different?

Susquehanna Printing’s Goss Universal 70 press is a double-around press equipped to run in a variety of configurations to print color broadsheet, tabloid, and book formats with exceptional flexibility, efficiency and quality, at output rates that exceed the rates achieved by our competitors.

Our press has six towers that can produce in excess of 5 million pieces per month, consisting of more than 120 million pages. Four of our six towers can run four-color process, printing up to 72 pages of a broadsheet in a single run and a wide range of page count options in tabloid and book formats. The press is configured with the flexibility to run as two separate presses, or as one, to maximize efficiency.  It is equipped with state-of-the-art automated ink, water, and registration controls. With all of this cutting-edge technology, our prices are very competitive.

Services include a state-of-the-art pre-press workflow for scheduling, design and proofing. Our post-press staff will handle all of your needs for folding, inserting, binding, inkjetting, labeling, mailing, and shipping with our in-house fleet of trucks. With one team coordinating all efforts, you are assured top quality and fast turnaround. As part of LNP Media Group, we can coordinate integrated multi-channel marketing campaigns that span social media, email marketing, newspaper, magazines, direct mail, SEO, digital display, OTT/CTV, and much more.

Our highly trained sales and customer support team will provide the most personalized experience from project start to finish. Our production and design team is passionate about ensuring your success, down to the last detail, making Susquehanna Printing your optimal coldset printing partner.

When should you use coldset printing?

Coldest printing is best for newsprint work that requires high-volume, fast speed, and low cost, with both black-and-white and color capability. Color reproduction in coldset printing is accurate and high-quality, and is more consistent than in digital printing. Custom colors are available in coldset printing due to our ability to mix CMYK colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) to produce the desired shade.

Benefits of coldset printing:

  • Low cost per piece for high-volume jobs. The minimum job size for coldset printing is 5,000 copies.
  • Excellent color consistency, fidelity, and customization.

Disadvantages of coldset printing: 

  • Coldset printing takes preparation time because plates must be created first. Thus, coldset printing is not ideal for last-minute jobs that require a quick turnaround.
  • Not ideal for small jobs of under 5,000 copies.
  • Not ideal for jobs that require variable data because plates cannot accommodate this.

Quality Assurance

Quality is assured through the Six Sigma certifications of our leadership team. Six Sigma is an internationally recognized framework for ensuring production quality. Susquehanna Printing has implemented detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs) for press sheet pulls throughout press runs, inspections at each point in the production process, with all equipment regularly calibrated according to manufacturer’s specifications. Our experienced, highly-skilled press operators use an automated system to control the ink flow to the paper to ensure consistent output and no fading. Our press team produces reliable, quality printing page after page.

Still not convinced? Susquehanna Printing’s customer-service portal, NewsXtreme, allows you to preview and approve your proofs online, thus providing you with direct visibility and control of the quality of your final product.

Susquehanna Printing team member performing quality control

Environmental Impact

At Susquehanna Printing we adhere to rigorous sustainability standards. We take minimizing our impact on the environment seriously because we believe in the importance of leaving a clean Earth to future generations. Learn more about our sustainability initiatives.

Coldset Press Specifications 

  • Universal 70 – coldset newspaper press rated at 60,000 impressions per hour.

  • ¼ fold or ½ fold.

  • Broadsheets and tabs – sizes range from 12” to 17” wide products.

  • Cutoff: 22-3/4”.

  • Paper weight ranging from 22.1# to 50#.

  • EAE / QIPC Automatic Color & Register Controls.

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