Manroland and Fairfax worked together to remove the roof of the press room and have the machinery dropped in with a 350-tonne crane.

John Ostler, press sales manager at Manroland, said Fairfax was responsible for removing the roof while Manroland moved the equipment. He added that the job as a whole was a team effort.

“We managed to get it done in a day, but it was very a long, hectic day, as you could imagine,” he said.

“Because of the reach, we had to use a 350-tonne crane. We had six riggers a team of roofing specialist, and three of us from Manroland.

“They say it never rains in Mandurah and we had a beautiful, sunny day but we had a few issues getting the roof off. However, it was a lot easier getting it back on again,” added Ostler.

The work was just the first part of a two-stage expansion that involved the installation of two new eight couple towers, two reel splicers and a folder.

The site will be further expanded by adding more towers and folders to increase coldest capacity and an eight couple tower, Megtec dryer and a dedicated reel splicer for heatset work. This is set to complete by mid-June.

They will have to remove the roof again to install the dryer.

The Mandurah plant produces The Mandurah Mail as well as real estate and tourism tabloid products.

Fairfax print & distribution chief executive Bob Lockley said the expansion showed the company’s confidence in the Western Australian market.

“This investment indicates our confidence in the future, both of the Western Australian market and the continuing demand for mass produced printed products and publications.

“We will be able to provide a much wider variety of products both coldset and heatset than was previously possible with a great deal of flexibility within the plant.”

Comment below to have your say on this story.

If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.  

Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter