GOSS INTERNATIONAL HAS BOUGHT the assets of web press ancillary company Vits and will move the business into its Contiweb plant in Boxmeer, Holland.
Vits produces the sheeter that is key to the M600 Folia press, cutting the web and delivering sheets at 30,000 iph with only spray powder to dry them. Vits sheeters are also in demand with more conventional 16pp web offset set ups where the sheeters operate at full press speed.
GOSS SAYS IT WILL MANUFACTURE coaters, die cutters, prefolders and plow fold units at the Boxmeer plant. The factory already makes reel stands and ovens for both Goss and other press manufacturers. Goss CEO Jochen Meissner says: Vits Print is the technology and market leader for high-speed sheeters as well as inline and offline finishing systems.”
Its range of inline finishing equipment also includes units to take inkjet heads for press speed personalisation. Adding this technology has appeal to printers wanting to add a level of personalisation and customisation, but where customers want the cost and quality of conventional offset.
THE VITS PLANT IS 120KM from Boxmeer across the border in Germany, close to Dusseldorf. While manufacturing will cease from this site, customer support will remain.Vits also markets a range of dryers which have competed with the Contiweb range and are unlikely to continue. The US arm, Vits-America, is not part of the deal and will continue to support its products in North America.
Goss owner Shanghai Electric is among the companies tipped as a potential buyer for the sheetfed part of Manroland, where the web and sheetfed operations could be considered complementary.
Vits production will move to Boxmeer where Goss makes the EcoCool dryers.
